A Warrior
by alonewithmydreams
Summary: ON HOLD. - sorry :( "I was raised as a Fire Nation girl should be, I was taught like a princess, never to become one. " ZukoxKatara depicted as OC at first , love, war, battles, lies, what will happen?
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first story XD lemme know what you think, any suggestions or ideas or anything you wanna see happen in this story, let me know! =D**

**CHAPTER ONE**

-The Past-

I was eight when I was found. Minding my own business in the small Southern Water Tribe, they attacked. They were collecting waterbenders, of course they would take me, I always knew it, I was almost a master. It was rare to be so good at my age, but nevertheless I was.

When I first arrived at the Fire Nation Palace, I was terrified. The Fire Lord was deciding what to do with me: keep me imprisoned or kill me. Then the Fire Lady spoke up "Ozai, she's so young. Perhaps I could take her in? I'm sure she will do no harm, look at her-"

"No." Such a sharp voice he had, "she will turn against me."

"I could raise her as a Fire Nation girl; she could be an asset to us, being one of the only waterbenders left." Later I found she did not wish for me to become a warrior, but she wanted to keep me.

"Hmm..." Everyone fell silent as the Fire Lord thought about the idea, crazy as it was. "Perhaps a warrior for me someday... You may look after her, she will not become a princess, she will be yours to take care of."

"Thank you, Fire Lord Ozai." She bowed and went to turn to leave.

"Ursa wait-"

"Yes, Fire Lord?"

"She must be given a new name, one that fits in with the royal family. Katara is no name for a true fire nation solider. Give her a Fire Nation name, great for a warrior."

"It will be done, Fire lord Ozai" She bowed once more then took me away. I didn't know why she did this at first, but I later found out it was because she had just lost a child and needed someone to fill the hole. She changed my name to Zena. She thought my new name would fit well with her children's.

In the next few years, I was raised as a Fire Nation girl should be, I was taught like a princess, never to become one. Uncle Iroh taught me the form of bending. He had watched waterbenders before, in his days of war. Though he had no idea how to waterbend, he did help me a lot. When he was teaching Zuko firebending, I would come along and copy the movements. Though waterbending is graceful, I was taught by a firebender, making my waterbending harsh and sharp, rather than flowing and graceful. I became a dangerous and powerful waterbender. In time however, Fire Lord Ozai captured a Master Waterbender to teach me. Still having form as a firebender, but knowing how to waterbend properly improved my skill more than I had realized. I became a master. I knew how to kill, as Azula had been taught, and became a strong warrior as Zuko. I was very important, one of the only waterbenders left. I was always watched by guards, they followed me everywhere.

Princess Azula hated me, I learned to ignore her though, and she became softer, but she was still Azula nonetheless. Prince Zuko didn't show much of an interest at first, but he was definitely a million times better than Azula. Later, I did make friends. Not with Mai or Azula, but with Ty Lee and Zuko. Zuko was my favorite, though through most eyes he was at the bottom of the list. My mother and I were the only ones who thought the highest of Zuko. He was wonderful to us. I was forced to forget everything about my old life. It was unspeakable to even think of it. This was my new life. I started calling the Fire Lady my mother, for that's what she had become. My mother. It felt so nice having one. Eventually I thought of the Fire Lord as my father, I would never say it out loud though. Princess Azula and Prince Zuko were my siblings, and I was treated as such, although it would never be said out loud.

"Zena! Come on, Iroh wants to show us new moves!" Zuko called to me, we were training partners, we did this everyday and we still snuck up on each other with new moves.

"In a minute!" I was sitting by the pond in our mother's garden, making shapes in the water. I was sixteen now. Fire Lady Ursa had died long ago, tearing Zuko apart and leaving Azula stronger. I was a comfort to Zuko though; we had grown into best friends.

We went to the training arena and fought until we ached and then we collapsed lying on the ground, the sun heating our bodies.

"I'm glad my mother wanted you, Zena. I think I would've fallen apart without you." He lay on his side facing me, while I lay on my back.

"I'm glad too. Your mother was so loved and was so loving to everyone, it didn't matter to her that my eyes are blue and my skin is dark. I did love her Zuko, she was wonderful." I got up on my side to see his face.

"She was..." Something was bothering him, but I wasn't sure what it was. He was eighteen now, and recently engaged to Mai, maybe that was it. He didn't love her. She was terrible! So boring, how could anyone be with her?

Azula came in to get us for dinner. "Zee, Zuzu time for dinner kiddos." She said with a sick smile, and then she ran off with Ty Lee. Mai hadn't be around for a while, her mother had become sick, close to death apparently, there were even rumors that Zuko and Mai's engagement would be called off. I wondered if Zuko wanted that. I would ask him later.

We went to our rooms and got ready for dinner. I washed my face and braided my long dark brown hair into two braids and tied them off with red ribbons.

At dinner, Zuko and I were seated next to each other, with Ty Lee and Azula in front of us and the Fire Lord and some generals I didn't know the names of at the end. I could never remember the names, they weren't important enough to me I guess. Zuko messed with my food at dinner. Light it on fire, or boil my drink. I got him back by taking what was in his water glass and bending it to fall on his lap making it look like he wet himself. He muttered cuss words under his breath and then glared at me. I just laughed and then Ty Lee asked in her oblivious voice "What happened?" with a giggle. I still think sometimes that she might have a teeny crush on him. Life in the palace was good.

A week later, I went for a swim in our new pool. Fire Lord Ozai thought it might help with my bending, to be surrounded by water. Though it was used by more people than just me. Usually I was joined by Azula and her friends, Ty Lee and Mai, Zuko came sometimes. Today it was just me. But of course, Azula had to come bother me.

"How's it going, Zee?" She always had nicknames for everyone.

"Um, fine? What are you doing here?"

"Just checking in on you. How's the water?

"I don't need checking in on Azula," my tone was annoyed; I was having a bad day already, maybe it was new moon coming. I was weak and waiting for it. "and the water is fine, a little cold, but I don't mind."

"Well let me warm it up for you, huh?" She smiled an evil smile.

"No! You'll probably boil me or something, just go train or kill something, leave me be." Goodness, she was scary. But honestly, scary as she was, she didn't phase me as much anymore. Yeah I knew she could kill me with the snap of her fingers, but she wouldn't. I was too important to her father.

"Alright fine, have a good swim, sister." That last word hung. Why did she call me that? Fire Lady Ursa hadn't adopted me, just looked after me. It was cruel reminder I had no real family though.

The water was getting too cold. It was times like this I wish I was firebender. I imagined what it would be like, water and firebending at the same time...insane. Insanely cool.

I closed my eyes and started bending, loops in the water, shapes, and faces. I practiced my water whip. Then something strange happened, the water actually got hot. Maybe I was imagining it. I focused on the water, I willed it to become hot. It was! It burned my hands! I quickly healed myself though. I took my hands out of the water, and stared at them for a very long time. I managed a spark in my right hand and a water bubble in the other. Was I going crazy? Only the avatar was able to control more than one element, and there hadn't been one for a very long time.

Zuko then came in and I splashed my hands in the water, so that he couldn't see what I was doing.

"Azula said you'd be in here, but then again, you're always in here." He said with a warm smile, and I laughed at that. Lately Zuko had been very warm and nice to me. After his mother died, he was very aggressive, then some time after that, he was challenged to an Agni Kai by his own father for speaking out of turn. He refused to fight him and suffered a terrible burn on his face for refusing. I healed as much of it as I could, but there was still a horrible scar. He was so close to being banished, but I begged for Zuko, I told the Fire Lord I would be forever in his debt, I would fight for him in the army with my waterbending, though there had been no use for that yet; his army was strong enough.

"Have a seat!" I used my waterbending to make a chair for him on top of the pool. I thought it was pretty cool. He took his seat and I made myself one. "So, how are things in the life of Zuko? How's your love life?"

"Ehh, well I've still got you." That made my heart smile. "My engagement with Mai might be called off because of her mother, I understand that and I'm sure you do too," he gave me a meaningful look, I knew what he meant. "But I would be happy if it was, I don't want to marry Mai, she's too boring and serious. I do feel bad for her though." He hung his head a little.

"I know, poor Mai..." I wasn't really sure what else to say. "She would be a terrible wife for you though." I smiled a little, and there was a hint of teasing in my voice. He laughed and nodded.

"Well then, who do you think would be a good wife?"

"Someone who knows you, someone you're comfortable around. A friend, no a best friend."

"Hmm…well the only person I know like that is you. Should we get married?"

I laughed out loud, I mean really out loud. "I don't know Zuko…" I kept laughing, I wasn't sure why. My face got red. It's not that I hadn't thought about it before. When we were kids we'd play and get married, and I did have a crush on him a couple years back. But now, now it just wouldn't work. "So Zuko, I have a secret."

His head popped up, we liked sharing secrets.

I waited for a minute, making shapes in the water. "Oh! Did you wanna know?" He hated when I would do that, it was funny though.

"Well yeah!"

"Okay, but I can't tell you now. Tonight when we go to train, we'll tell the guards we're practising new moves and we're to train in private. Then I'll tell you, okay? It's a very big secret."

"Ahh I hate this. Just tell me now!"

"Mmm...Nope!" I popped up out of the water and headed to my room. Zuko was still in his water chair. "See you later Zuzu." I said in my best Azula voice. Then I dropped the water chair. Zuko came running after me dripping wet and fire in his hands. He tackled me and we went down. "I'm gonna kill you Zena!" he yelled. We were wrestling in the hallway until some guard got us off each other. It was so fun to tease Zuko. "Okay, now go get changed, then we'll go 'train'. Hurry up!" I called to him was I starting walking to my room.

"Ugh fine, but I got this wicked new move and you're so gonna get it Zena."

I went to my room, which was in a separate hall than where the royal family slept, mine was where important guests slept, like generals and members in the war. I tied my hair up then I pulled on my training clothes, red pants to the knee and a specially made training shirt meant to protect me from fire. I thought it was stupid that it showed my belly if it was to protect me from fire, but whatever I guess. I wondered about how I was going to tell Zuko. It would be easy, wouldn't it? Zuko & I have been best friends since I came here, I can tell him anything. When he was younger, he would come into my room at night to sleep next to me. He had terrible nightmares about his mother being taken from him. Sometimes he said it felt so real, like maybe it was memory. But then he concluded he was just hoping his mother was still alive somewhere and diminished the thought.

-Training-

The sun was slowly fading away, night was coming. I knew Zuko would be waiting for me at the training arena. I left my room and starting running down the hall and through the garden, but then I saw the Fire Lord crouched by some flowers in mother's garden. "Fire Lord Ozai?" I bowed.

"Oh, Zena, what are you doing out?" He quickly stood up, probably he didn't want to look weak smelling flowers. I noticed sadness in his eyes, something I've never seen before. It almost looked as if he had been crying. I almost wanted to bend to see if he had been, but that would be too far for me to go.

"I'm going to train with Zuko."

"I see. You both are becoming great benders. I wish to see you side by side fighting. You complement each other well with your skills." What was he saying? He's never told either of us something like this.

"Thank you, Fire Lord. My old teacher told me my moves are very aggressive, that of a firebender, the form will be good to have in war someday. Zuko has been teaching me attack moves and I have been helping him with his bending form."

"Very good. 'That of a firebender,' how good. You will be a great warrior."

"Thank you, Fire Lord Ozai." I wondered if I would be a firebender, I mean, I had a spark in my hand earlier that day. Why did that happen? How is it even possible? I bowed to him and went to leave.

"Zena," I have done many evils." I turned back around to face him. He looked as though he would collapse if someone even touched him slightly. "I miss my wife Zena, you remind me of her. I have done many a terrible thing. She was so beautiful, wasn't she?" I nodded. "I've hurt my son, that horrible scar reminds me."

I think my mouth must have been open or something because the next sentence he spoke was very firm.

"You must tell no one I told you these things. They are weak things for me to say."

"Of course, Fire Lord. I will tell not a soul."

"I sometimes view you as my daughter Zena. I know it hurt my wife when she lost our child, but it did have a great affect on me. I am glad she spoke up the day we got you."

"I am grateful she did, Fire Lord." I can't believe he is telling me this. Why? Why is he telling me this?

"Tell no one we spoke of this, Zena. There will be a great consequence if you do." The firm tone again.

"Upon my honor, you have my word," Honor is everything in the Fire Nation, it is your whole life. I bowed as I said his name, "Fire Lord Ozai." I tried to show him that in my eyes he was still a very powerful Fire Lord.

When I got to the training arena, Zuko looked a bit pissed off. "Where have you been?"

"I'm sorry, I got...distracted." I'm such a bad liar.

"Pff whatever." His face softened, "Training first, or the secret?" He said with a smile.

I debated in my head, "Secret first."

"Okay, what is it?" He sat down with legs crossed, and I copied him, sitting right in front of him, our knees almost touching.

"So... What would you do if I said I could firebend?"

"I would call you crazy." His face blank, he wasn't getting it.

"Hmm..." I wasn't sure how to tell him. Maybe I'll show him.

I held my hands up, in between us. In my left I held the water bubble, in the right I made another spark. I was so surprised I could do it again. Zuko's mouth hung open.

"What...what was that?"

"I'm not exactly sure. When I was swimming today it happened again. I started boiling the water, and then the spark happened in my hand."

"But, you're a waterbender. You're not supposed to be able to control more than one element, only the avatar can do that, and...You're not the avatar are you?"

"Zuko, do you realize how dumb you just sounded?" I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Well, I'm just a little surprised and not thinking clearly. I mean, you just summoned fire."

"I know...um, would you like, teach me to firebend?"

"Of course! But I don't understand how you can. This is unbelievable. We mustn't tell anyone."

"Absolutely not. That would be horrible."

"Well...let's get training then. I'll teach you the basics."


	2. Chapter 2

**Second Chapter! Woo XD So, I like this whole writing stories things. hehe! Anyways, let me know how you feel about this chapter, or if you have any thoughts or suggestions for the next chapter! I think chapter 3 will be spilt in two, so chapter 3, then chapter 3.5, I've got lots to cover! =D thanks for reading!**

**O & its from Zuko's point of view, in case you didn't catch that =]**

**Chapter Two**

When she first showed me that spark, I couldn't believe my eyes. She couldn't be the avatar, he died over 100 years ago, plus the chain was broken. If an avatar is killed in the avatar state, he _really_ dies. I wondered how it was possible because logically, it wasn't. Not at all.

I taught her everything I knew, but I wasn't a good teacher. I got frustrated if she didn't do a move right, or something stupid like that. I feel bad for letting my temper get the best of me, but she knew I didn't mean it. She always knew. We've been together for what seems like my whole life.

"No! No! No! That's not right!"

"Zuko, I'm sorry! I don't know what you want me to do!" Her voice was angry, but her big blue eyes held sadness.

"I just want you...to do it right." I don't know why I was getting so mad, her balance had just been slightly off, I didn't need to get so mad. The anniversary of my mother's death was coming up and that always made my temper seem out of control.

"I can't do it RIGHT when you're not teaching me RIGHT." She looked about ready to bite my head off. She was normally very calm, but I knew she was edge too. I probably needed to apologize.

"I don't know how else to teach you. We can't get anyone else to teach you."

She sighed heavily. "What about... Uncle Iroh?"

"What about him?" What? Him teaching her better than me? All he does is sit and drink tea when he trains me!

"Well, he trains you, and your skills are impressive. I have faith he wouldn't tell anyone."

"You're right, he wouldn't tell anyone. He loves you too much." I'll admit, he would be a better teacher than me. "Okay, tonight, after dinner, we'll go to Iroh and tell him."

"Okay." Then she got a huge smile on her face, it was cute. "You're a real crappy teacher, Zuko."

I could've gotten mad, but I just smiled back at her. That felt better than yelling, it really did.

Zena and I walked side by side on our way to Iroh's. It was a full moon tonight and Zena had wanted to hurry up with dinner so she could go outside and stare at it. She drew her energy from the moon, just as I drew mine from the sun. I wondered if when she got better at firebending she'd draw energy from the sun as well. She looked so lovely beneath the moon light. We walked through my mother's garden and the moon light would bounce off of the pond onto the flowers and small trees. I felt this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. Was I sick? No, it was a different feeling...that of when I liked Mai, which was a long time ago. I'm glad the engagement was called off, still I feel bad she lost her mother. I know what it's like. Why did I get that feeling?

"Are you okay, Zuko? You've been quiet this whole time." Her face looked worried. It felt nice having someone worry about me, though she didn't need to.

"Oh! Yes, I'm sorry. I was just, thinking."

"About mother?" I liked how she thought of mother as hers too.

"Well, yes actually. The anniversary is coming up. I'm just feeling..." I trailed off. I felt weak, but I didn't want to tell her that. "You read me like a book." I added with a smile.

"Well I know you like a book I've read a thousand times, you know." She smiled, so warm, so sincere. "I'm feeling weak too. Even with the new moon."

She knew me so well. "Yes, weak. You'd think after being with you so much I'd be less prideful." I was serious, but I said it with a pitiful laugh. She just smiled back at me; she knew I didn't want to talk about anything big right now. She always knew what to say to me, and what to do.

When we got to Uncle Iroh's he smiled big and offered tea. _Of course _he offered tea.

"What are you kids doing here so late?" He asked as he sipped his tea. Zena and I looked at each other and read the other's face. Who goes first? I didn't have to think long, she spoke up very soon.

"I have something to tell you, Uncle Iroh. This is very important." She looked at him with a dead serious face, those blue eyes looking at him with all sincereness. He nodded and returning a serious look. "Okay...it's hard to say. I'll have to show you." She closed her eyes then opened her palm and I heard her draw a breath from her inner fire. In her palm a beautiful perfect ball of fire formed. _Crappy teacher my eye. _She squinted one eye open to look at Uncle Iroh's face. His face hadn't changed. But he spoke in a very plain voice.

"You haven't told anyone but Zuko and I." It wasn't a question.

"No, I haven't." She responded and opened her eyes all the way with the fire still in her hand and Uncle Iroh staring at it.

"Good. Now, what is this? I thought you were a waterbender Zena?" He kept watching her hand, until she diminished the flame and started talking.

"Well, I thought so too." She laughed a little; I could tell she felt awkward. "I don't understand it. It just happened one day."

"Hmm... We must find an explanation for this. I will do research and maybe get some insight on how you have this gift. But to do so, I need more tea." He looked at me then gestured towards to tea pot. Why should I make him tea? Stupid old man...

We sat in front of dozens of scrolls as Uncle Iroh looked for answers. Zena had fallen asleep with her head in my lap. Her hair was untied from the usual ponytail she wore so that all the layers in her hair fell in a different spot.

"You know, she is of age now, Zuko." Iroh told me as he glanced at her.

"What do you mean?"

"To be engaged." He smiled warmly, and then said, "I've seen how you look at her. She's sweet and kind and your best friend too."

"How do I look at her?" I raised my voice a bit, but I didn't want to wake Zena. "Uncle, you don't know what you're talking about."

"Whatever you say, Prince Zuko." He looked in his empty tea cup. "Seems I've run out."

Later that night, Uncle Iroh woke me and Zena. I had fallen asleep against a wall with her still on my lap.

"I've found something." He was holding a pretty old scroll in his hands. Zena was still half asleep and mumbling when she asked what it was he found. "It talks about twins, each with the gift of bending an element. Sometimes when only one of the twins lives, the element that was to be given to the dead twin is passed on to the one to be born. But this is very rare; there have not been many cases of this happening. I figure that that's probably what happened to Zena."

"I had a twin? A firebending twin? Wow..." I could see the sadness in those eyes. I felt bad for her. Another reminder for her, that she lost her family. I wanted to comfort her. I'm her family now.

"I am sorry, Zena."

I walked her back to her room, though it was almost morning. We had been at Iroh's for a long time. I held her hand as we walked, it felt nice. Her hand was warm, yet cool. Soft, but still rough in places. I wondered what she thought about holding my hand.

"Zuko...would you, um- well, would you wanna stay with me? Like when we were kids? You always made me feel safe when I had a bad dream. I could use that right now...some safe arms." She said the last part so quietly I wondered if she knew I heard it.

"I'll stay." I said it with a smile. I am her family.

She got into her bed and pulled the blankets up to her chin, I curled up next to her. _Safe arms. _I liked being needed by someone. I held her all night and she entangled her legs with mine, I figured maybe she was cold, so I made my body warm so that she could be warm too.

In the morning when we woke, we were both tangled in each other's arms, as if we were in love or something. The thought made me smile.

"What are you smiling about, sunshine?"

"Oh, just a thought." I kept smiling. I wasn't sure why, but I was extremely happy. I brushed her hair behind her ear.

"Well, I guess we should get ready to train with Uncle. First day." She said with a smile.

"Alright, I'll get him and then meet you there." I'm smiled back then left her.

On my way to Uncle's through the garden, I saw Azula and Ty Lee.

"Hey there pretty little Zuzu. Where's your girlfriend?" Azula asked.

"Hi Zuko. Oh, you have a girlfriend?" Ty Lee frowned as she asked.

"No, Ty Lee, I don't have a girlfriend. Azula, you know that she isn't my girlfriend." Ty Lee smiled about that. I guess she had a crush on me. I am most definitely not her type though.

"Whatever you say, brother. You're _always _with her. I'd bet you're going to see her now, huh?" Azula smiled and waited for my reply.

"You sure are annoying. I'm going to train with Uncle. Bye guys." I turned and left. What does Azula care?

I went to the training arena and took off my shirt leaving me in my loose grey pants, and I started meditating. Uncle Iroh was drinking tea and reading some old scroll about some old something. I felt eyes on back, Zena wasn't here yet and Uncle was reading. I turned to look but no one was there. I must just be paranoid.

"Sorry! I'm here now, I couldn't find my shoes." Zena came running in, her hair in a messy ponytail with her bangs sweeping across her face. She was wearing baggy dark red pants and a shirt that showed her belly and strong arms, her skin was so tan, especially compared to mine. I could be a ghost next to her. I'll have to stay out in the sun more.

"Well my dear, you don't need to wear shoes when you train. By the looks of it, you don't even know how to wear shoes." Uncle Iroh said looking at her feet with the shoes on the wrong feet. He was laughing; tea almost came out of his nose. Disgusting.

"Whoops…" She giggled and blushed.

She sat down in front of me and started meditating. Then we got to the good stuff.

"Remember, you draw energy from the sun when you firebend, Zena. Many strong firebenders use their emotions, however. Like Prince Zuko for example." I shot a look at Uncle as he said it. I had been trying to focus on the sun, the heat and energy from it, but it was difficult. I figure as long as I have the emotions inside me, I should use them. "But doing so may actually make you weaker in the end. Focus on the sun and your inner fire, and then bring it out into your hands."

As she did what he said, she shot a ball of fire at me, but it looked similar to Azula's. Blue. Not quite as blue as hers, but a weaker colored blue. I dodged the shot and returned with a kick, shooting a stream of fire at her. She dodged it with more of the blue-ish fire.

"Ah, I see your fire is strong. You must control this; it can get terribly out of hand." He started chuckling. "Get it? Out of hand…" Then he started laughing uncontrollably.

We kept working on attack moves, with Zena's fire growing stronger with each bend. Suddenly a guard banged on the doors and demanded we go to the Fire Lord immediately. When we got there, no one else was in the room except us and my father.

"You have been keeping secrets from me, young ones."

Had he found out? _How_ had he found out?

He continued speaking, "Azula followed you to your training session today. She told me something I do not understand, nor believe. Perhaps you can shed some _light _on the situation. How do you firebend?"

"Fire Lord Ozai, I am very sorry to keep this from you. There are stories of twin benders, each with a different element. But when one dies still inside the mother, the element they were given to bend is passed on to the living twin. I believe that is what happened to me. I understand my mistake in keeping this you, Fire Lord, but I hadn't developed my skills well enough for them to even be of use to you. I wanted to become greater before I told. Please, forgive me." She was on her knees and her head was down, her voice shaky.

"Zuko, you knew and my brother knew about this? And yet, Azula was the one to tell me." He didn't respond to Zena at all. He didn't even look at her.

"Yes father, as she said, her skills were not great. She thought it was an illusion; she came to me in help of training before she was to come to you. Please, forgive us both for keeping this secret from you." I kneeled. My head was down as well, fearing for what may happen. I was afraid of no one else, but my father.

"You do not beg for her." Every word he said was like a sharp knife. "She is here because your mother wished that. I promised your mother Zena would have a place here, but only if she obeyed. She must fight for her honor as you and Azula."

"Yes, Father." My hands started shaking. They could barely contain the fire inside of me, needing to be let out.

"There should be a great consequence for this. But, because this could be to my advantage in her being a warrior, it will be less. Zena and Azula will fight an Agni Kai. The duel will not be to the death, but against Azula, however, Zena may have no chance." He was so cruel. I wanted to kill him right there. He needed punishment for his crimes against his people. "I had wished great things for you Zena. If you win, you will have your honor and the opportunity to be a great warrior for the Fire Nation. If you lose, you will be banished and lose all honor you ever dreamed of having. The fight will be tomorrow at noon."

"Yes, Fire Lord." Zena and I said it in unison. I could see her eyes flooding with tears, but none had fallen. She was brave. We bowed, and then left the Fire lord, alone with his demented thoughts. On the way out, we saw Azula, standing against a wall, smiling. She was sick.

We walked to my room and then sat on my bed for what seemed like an eternity. We just sat there in silence. Tears in our eyes, refusing to fall.

"Zuko, what do I do?" She sounded so vulnerable, so innocent.

"You fight Azula, and you win." I wanted to sound strong. I knew she could do it, but would she? Zena shook her head and then started sobbing. I had seen her cry only once, when mother died. I put my arms around her and held her. I could feel her whole body shaking, her head was buried in my chest and I leaned my head down to rest on hers. She slowly stopped crying, but I still held her there in my arms. _Safe arms._ I didn't feel my arms were safe. I should have been more careful, if I had, she wouldn't be facing her death tomorrow.

"Do you think I'll win Zuko?" She asked, raising her head to look at me.

"I pray that you will. You are strong and you are brave." Then suddenly, I leaned my face in closer to hers, slowly. She started reaching up, slowly until our lips touched, very lightly. We just stayed there. Lips barely touching, my arms around her and hers around me. I leaned in a little more to deepen the kiss, and then I knew it had to stop there. I finished the kiss and then just smiled at her. I held her tight again and we fell asleep.

The Agni Kai

I woke up with her still in my arms. Remembering what I had done the night before. I kissed her. It felt so perfect, so right. I had kissed a couple girls before, but none had felt like this. She was so perfect.

I looked outside; it had to be about noon.

"Crap! Zena, Zena you need to wake up now." I gently shook her awake, she looked so peaceful, it hurt me inside knowing what was to happen soon.

"Oh no! What time is it?" She shot up and ran out the door.

I got up and followed her out to the Agni Kai chamber. When we got there, Azula was already warming up, shooting blue flames into the sky. Zena had already been in her training clothes so she went with in Azula immediately. This is it. Everyone quieted down and then the bell was rung. Azula ran towards Zena with her fingers out, ready to shoot lightening. Zena noticed and dodged it, she knew some of Azula's moves and where to be when she was going to do them. People were on the edge of their seats, watching every move. Azula would shoot fire and Zena would draw up water from a large bowl to block. Azula would quickly evaporate the water though and it would keep going on like this forever unless Zena switched to firebending. They had burned each other a couple of times, but Zena could heal herself with the little water left. Azula went for a strike with lightening and then a finished triple fire whip. Zena fell to the ground. I could see she was burned down her left side, from her shoulder to her hip. We heard her scream and the crowd gasped. She was in immense pain and couldn't heal. She was still on the ground, barely moving. There were sharp tears poking at my eyes. _Get up, please get up._

Azula went to turn and walk away, but Zena was tough, she was brave, and she was a warrior. She got up and starting running towards Azula, jumping up into an arch and kicking several dagger-like flames of her light blue colored fire. Then she brought her hands together and summoned a large ball of completely blue fire cackling with energy, almost like lightening and threw it at Azula's face. Zena had been so fast and Azula was caught unaware. Azula was thrown against a wall, and then fell to the ground, her chest and part of her face completely burned. The crowd was silent, in shock of what just happened. Azula had been beaten. If it had been to the death, Azula could have been dead in an instant.

The Fire Lord stood. "Zena, you have won this Agni Kai. You have proven yourself very worthy. Princess Azula has been beat, and you have gained honor. I promote you to General." Then he turned and left with nothing else. Azula was taken to the infirmary for her wounds to be treated. Uncle and I took Zena back to her room so she could heal herself. It would be a scar such as mine, but at least the pain would go away. She tried not to cry as she walked with her right side leaned against me and my holding her up on the left side. She was so weak and fragile, though she'd never look it, until now.

"A General. I'm gonna be a General." She was sitting in a tub of water, still in her burned, ragged training clothes, trying to heal. The burn went all the way down to her calf, pink and dark red all down her left side.

"It is impressive. Being a girl too. Though, being a General, you're not much a little girl anymore. You are one of the greatest fighters the Fire Nation as seen in a long, to be beat Azula." Uncle Iroh was pouring tea for her as he spoke.

"I know! _In your face, Azula._ Can girls be Generals, Uncle?" She asked while sipping her tea.

"I suppose so, since that is what the Fire Lord has made you." He didn't look particularly pleased about her new rank. I figured he was worried.

"I've never felt so good! Well, I mean, getting burned was horrible and the most painful thing ever, but beating her. She's so strong and powerful. I thought I was going to die while I was laying there on the ground all burned. What's going to happen to Azula now?"

"I don't know. She lost, and in losing she may be banished, but she has lost the honor that you gained."

"I kind of feel bad for her." She looked so torn. I knew she didn't like Azula, but she had grown up with, like me.

After she was done healing, Uncle left and I stayed in her room. She walked over to me and hugged me really tight, I was afraid to hug her back because I didn't want to hurt her.

"It's okay, it doesn't hurt anymore. It just looks really bad." She leaned up and whispered into my ear, "You can hug me back." And I did. I held her close to me.

"If you had died, I don't know what I would have done. I didn't realize how much I love you, Zena. I saw you burned and crumpled on the ground and I thought you were gone. I don't ever want to lose you, ever." I started crying, something I never did. She just hugged me even tighter, whispering that she was okay now.

"I love you too, Zuko." She kissed the corner of my mouth, and then returned her head to my chest. I didn't want to let go, but I had to. We said goodnight and kissed a couple more times. I was in love, with my best friend.

This cannot get out. I don't want another duel with her getting hurt again. It must be secret.


	3. Chapter 3

**Okaaay. So I know I said this was gonna be long, but I decided to split up chapter three into three parts. Which, will be 3, 3.5, then just go to 4. So the story will be longer than I thought =] which is fine. Anyways! Please let me know what you think. I know it was said that the Agni Kai scene was rushed, & it was. I'm sorry. I'm not good at writing the action scenes, please bear with me. Review!**

**Chapter Three**

Almost a year had passed since I was made General. I had beaten Azula at the Agni Kai and was now the greatest firebender the Fire Nation had. I would still give in to Zuko though, when we trained. I never wanted to beat him. I was seventeen now and Zuko was nineteen. We would've been married off by now, but the Fire Lord kept us on our toes with assignments to carry out with my new position, and I always had Zuko with me. There was no time for marriages to be happening, although there had been time for love. We had to keep it secret, it was exciting! Sneaking around the palace at night, stealing kisses and all that. Zuko gave me a promise ring, we weren't engaged, but it was just a reminder that we loved each other, no matter what.

"Uncle Iroh, do you know when Zuko is going to be back from his mission?" I was visiting Uncle a lot over the past month that Zuko had been gone and I was going insane.

"I do not. Hopefully not more than a couple more days. You're falling apart without his highness." He chuckled and sipped tea.

"I am! I don't know what I'll do when Fire Lord Ozai starts arranging our marriages." I sighed. I don't want to lose Zuko, he was my everything.

"Perhaps the Fire Lord will put you two together."

"Uncle! Don't even joke like that! It makes my heart wanna crumble...like an earthbender took and just smashed a rock against it a thousand times." I held up my imaginary heart in my hands and mashed it. I was so lovesick.

"I figured the thought would bring you joy." He looked puzzled. It did bring me joy, but I just don't think it'd ever happen. "It's not too farfetched, young one. The future is full of possibilities."

"Maybe. I'm gonna go find Ty Lee, I need to be distracted." I smiled and left.

"OOOH. Can I do your hair all pretty?" Ty Lee asked, she always wanted to do makeovers and such.

"I suppose so, but there's really no reason to. I'm not trying to impress anyone today." Zuko isn't here. I frowned.

"Really? No one? What if a certain _someone_ happened to be a dinner tonight?" She smiled and started playing with my hair.

I screamed, really loud. But then I whispered my reply, "He's coming back tonight?" Ty Lee, Uncle and Zuko and I were the only ones who knew about our relationship.

"You didn't hear it from me!" She smiled. She was one of the greatest friends. Yeah, some people, even Zuko sometimes, saw her as a crazy circus girl clad in pink, but I loved her.

"Thank you so much, Ty Lee. I wanted to thank you too for keeping this a secret, from Azula especially. Who knows what she would do. After the Agni Kai, I wanted to talk to her again, I actually missed her. Now all she does is train. She's become sick, everyone can see it. I never meant to beat her, Ty Lee. But I didn't want to die. I wanted my honor, but not at the cost of Azula's. I feel so bad."

"You're a better person than she is, Zena. Azula would never have said that if your roles were switched." She let go of my hair to look me in the eyes. "You shouldn't feel bad. I think she deserved it."

"Maybe she did. I just wish it didn't to be like that. Every time I look at her, she just, she wants to kill me. I know it. I see that horrid burn on her chest and I think '_I did that to her._' It's horrible."

"Look at what she did to you! She burned the whole side your body. It's like Zuko times ten! She left you for dead. I mean come on, you're blind out of your left eye! Though no one would ever know, the scar isn't even bad on your face. Not like Zuko's one bit."

"You're right. You're absolutely right."

"I know I am." She smiled. "So how do you want your hair?"

After an hour of Ty Lee twisting my hair up and then letting it fall back down again, she decided to just pin it up in a messy sort of way. She had just recently cut my hair as well, leaving fringe sweeping across my forehead and the short layers sticking out of the mess she pinned up. It didn't look bad though. I liked it. She then put me in a dark red tunic over some darker red pants. She put a pink flower in my hair and said "Ta da!" I looked in the mirror and I actually looked alright.

"Man, Zuko is gonna love you. Well, I mean he already does love you. But he's gonna think you look SO HOT. Not that he normally doesn't, 'cause he totally does." She smiled at her rambling mess of words.

"Thanks, Ty Lee." I smiled back and we left for dinner.

I was skipping the whole way there, my heart beating so fast.

"Gee, Zena. I think I can hear your heartbeat." She giggled.

"What? You can? Gosh, that's crazy."

"Yes, I'm also the Fire Lord." She teased.

We were standing outside, she was making sure my hair was fixed properly when I felt an arm snake around my waist. Then a familiar voice.

"You look lovely." He murmured against my ear.

"ZUKO!" I spun around and practically choked him to death with my arms around his neck.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too." I lightly kissed him on the cheek, just in case someone was to come outside and I didn't want to be full blown making out if that happened.

Sitting next to Zuko at dinner made me crazy. We were holding hands under the table, but it _so _wasn't enough. Azula hadn't eaten dinner with us in a long time, so it left just Ty Lee, Zuko, Uncle and a couple soldiers Uncle had taken to a liking. I ate my dinner super fast, but Zuko just took his sweet time. I was starting to get annoyed, I _needed_ to talk with him and he was eating as slow as Uncle! I tried freezing his soup but then he just warmed it back up. After a couple times of me trying to make him get the picture, he looked over at me and mouthed 'be patient.' Me? Zuko was generally the impatient one. What was his deal? Finally, he finished his soup and we excused ourselves. We ran to his room as fast as we could and he locked the door.

"Agni, Zuko! Why were you eating like a snailworm?" But before I could yell at him anymore, he clamped his mouth over mine. Oh how I had missed that. I missed it very much in fact.

"I missed you so much." He whispered against my mouth.

"Ahh, I think I missed you more. Ask Uncle."

"He already told me. He wrote me and said you were going crazy." He laughed; I missed his laugh so much.

"I was! Completely crazy…" I whispered and began kissing him again. He was still holding my hand, our fingers entwined, he was twisting my ring around.

"I have something for you." He knelt down on one knee.

"Waaait…what?" Oh my goodness, what was he doing? He pulled out a beautiful ring from his pocket and held it up. It was so amazing, a silver-ish band with a simple red stone in the middle and two little diamonds on each side.

"Will you marry me?" He asked. Did he even have to ask? No, no he did not.

"_Of course." _I knelt down with him and hugged him, this moment was perfect. He slipped off the old promise ring and put on the new ring. He put the promise ring on a chain around his neck. We sat there on the floor in his room, just holding hands and smiling, and then we fell asleep.

Sun Warriors

I woke up in the middle of the night with Zuko next to me, still holding my hand. I had to leave soon, I didn't want to get caught. I didn't want to wake him either. I gently moved my hand and my body away from him and slowly got up. Then I got to the door, Zuko's door always made a squeak when it opened.

"Where are you going?" Crap, I woke him up.

"Back to my room, I'm sorry. Go back to sleep, I didn't mean to wake you."

"Well I can't believe it. We're not even engaged a whole day and here you are sneaking off in the middle of the night." He teased. He was in such a good mood.

"Zuko…you're hilarious. I love you, I have to go. See you in the morning." I went over and kissed him goodnight, then went to my room.

In the morning after I washed up and everything, I went to leave to find Ty Lee and show her my ring. But I found a note slipped under my door.

_Young One, I need to speak to you and Zuko. _

_Please come to the pool a little after noon. The Fire Lord is away on business and Azula has left to go find her honor. We have much to talk about._

_-Uncle Iroh_

Azula's gone? Wow…well. Good for her, I hope she pleases her father.

I didn't bother with a bathing suit, I just kept my baggy red pants and tank top on. I hadn't wanted to show much skin because of my burn. Though it had healed very well. My face and neck were barely any different from my normal skin color, maybe a little pinker. My shoulder and torso were dark red and an even darker red. My legs were pink; I had tried the best I could.

When I got to the pool, it was only Uncle there. Wading in the pool, he loved the water.

"Uncle?"

"Ah, dear, there you are."

"Here I am." I smiled. "Where's Zuko?"

"Oh, he's coming. I saw him earlier, he seems in an especially happy mood today."

"He is, isn't he? It's probably because of something that happened last night." I said with a slight smirk.

"_What happened last night?" _

"OH! Oh, no. No, no, no. Not that." I blushed, we hadn't even thought about that yet. I held up my hand so he could see. "This, this is what I'm talking about."

"My two favorite people are to be married?" He almost fell off the floaty keeping him above water.

"Well, we want to be." I frowned. I hadn't even thought about if we could or not.

"I will pray for your dream to become reality, my dear." He smiled warmly.

"Thank you, Uncle." I just realized its weird calling him Uncle. He's not really my uncle, he's Zuko's uncle. If Iroh were really my uncle, Zuko and I would have to be really related. That's twisted. I pushed the thought from my mind and sat in a chair beneath the sun. That is, until a tall figure blocked my sun.

"Zuuuukooo. You're blocking the sun. Get your own chair."

"Hey now, that's not way to treat your fiancé." He joked and smiled.

"You're right. Zuko will you please get your own chair. Please." I smiled back at him.

"Uncle, what was it you wanted to talk about?" Zuko asked. But Uncle fell asleep on his floating chair thing. "Um, Zena. Could you?" He pointed at Uncle.

"Sure thing." I made waves in the pool, and then flipped him over after he didn't wake up. Zuko and I started laughing as Uncle shot alert and pretty much jumped out of the pool.

"Well now, why would you do that, Zena?" Iroh asked.

"You said you had to talk with us, but you were sleeping. We had to wake you somehow. It was Zuko's idea anyways." I gently elbowed Zuko in the ribs and smiled at him.

"I do have to talk with him. It's about your bending Zuko. Would you fight Zena really quick?"

"What about my bending?"

"Well, see. You bend using your emotions, Zuko. I tried my best to teach Zena to focus on the origin of firebending, which are the dragons. I worried that as you got happier with Zena, your bending would be lacking or perhaps go away."

"Go away?"

"Yes. Now demonstrate some attack moves."

We both got into a fighting stance. My left leg in front of me and my right behind my slightly. My hands drawn in towards my chest. Zuko's took up the same stance, but with his hands out, ready to strike. He threw a flame then spun to arch and kick, but it was very weak. Zuko was thrown off by what should normally be a powerful turning into what was a beginners flame; while he was being confused I ran towards him and entrapped him in ice.

"Hmm…like I thought." Uncle looked at Zuko in his ice cage.

"How did that happen?" Zuko asked, as I began to thaw him out.

"Well, you are weak. It is your emotions. You let them fuel your bending for too long and because you no longer have so much rage you cannot bend as before."

"What do I do?" Zuko said, irritated. He had right to be too.

"I would advise you to go to the sun warriors. Yes, I know much of it will be ruins, but maybe you could learn something. While most believe firebending is rage and hate, the Sun Warriors believed it to be life and energy."

"Sounds like fun!" I said and smiled. Plus, it would be nice to go on a trip with Zuko.

"Uncle, do you think it really will help? It's just going to be a bunch of ruins."

"You might find _something_, Zuko." He smiled and left to go shop around the town.

"Well, I guess we should go pack."

"I guess so." He smiled and took my hand.

To be continued...

SOON!

* * *

**This was meant to be waaay more exciting, my bad. Also, I started writing & totally mean to engage them so soon, but whoops. It happened. This chapter is quite fluffaaay. =] Haha, they will get better I promise! & remember this is my first story ever, so I'm a beginner & I'm learning. =D thanks guys. _Shut up already._ I know I know, here I go. Shutting up. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Alright, here it is. Its been a while & I'm sorry! I've kinda had writers block, which explains why this chapter is seriously lacking. However, next chapter will be better! =D**

**Remember to review please! I want to know what you think & if you have any suggestions, I'm totally open to it! =] thankyou!**

**Zuko's P.O.V.**

**Chapter 3.5**

We headed off for the Sun Warrior Tribe, supposedly the warrior's died out long ago, along with the dragons, but Uncle seemed to think otherwise. Ran and Shaw, the original firebenders are said to be there, along with the eternal flame, they must deem you worthy, or you die. I gotta admit, I was a little nervous on the way there.

"Zuko, you're quiet, what's wrong?" She moved closer and let go of my hand so she could put her arm around my waist, and I moved my arm around her strong shoulders.

"Promise not to laugh?" I smiled at her and rubbed her shoulders as we walked, I knew she was getting tired.

"Of course, Zuko. You know me." She smirked, I did know her. It was absolutely great knowing her.

"When Uncle told us about the dragons and how if we're not worthy, we die, I got a little bit freaked out. But, they're supposed to be gone. Anyways, we probably won't even find anything."

"Oh, I see. Iroh seems to think we will though. He said 'keep your mind open' in a mysterious way, like he knows something we don't."

"He's just trying to scare me, I'll bet." I laughed, I used to think of Uncle as just a fat old man, but he's a wonderful fat old man. I love the guy.

"I'm getting sleepy, can we stop for a while?" She looked up at me and I stopped walking and then she slumped down into my chest.

"Sure we can, I'll make a fire." I held her a minute before letting go. It was getting dark anyways and I was tired as well. I made a fire and put our sleeping bags next to each other. We probably wouldn't even use them though, normally I would lean against a rock and she would sleep in my lap, not only was it more comfortable, but we were together.

Sure enough, after we ate, I found a rock and she found my chest.

"Zuko, I'm worried about Azula." She looked sleepy, but I knew she had lots on her mind.

"Worried?"

"I feel horrible. I just wanted to be accepted by your father, I didn't mean to take Azula's place."

"I know you didn't. Azula wouldn't have spared you though, as you did her."

"You're right. I still wish it could have been different. I never meant to take her father from her. Or you."

"She never had me, Zena. As for father, as long as he has a strong fighter on his side, he's happy. He is a cruel man, lost in his power. When I'm Fire Lord it won't be like that."

"I'm looking forward to that." She smiled, but I knew there was more on her mind.

"What else are you thinking about?"

"Marriage."

I laughed, "What about it?" I glanced at her finger, wearing the ring I gave her.

"Well, I want to marry you, of course. But, will your father allow it? He'll probably marry me off to some General or man in the army, and you to a princess."

"I won't let you marry another man. I promise that. I've thought about this too, and I've talked to Uncle. He seems to think if we put it in my father's understanding of things, our marriage would be accepted. You're strong, Zena. My father wants you to fight, with me by your side; we would make a powerful couple. I don't see why he wouldn't accept that."

"Yes, I know. We would be strong. But still, what if he thinks sending me out to battle is more important than having a strong partner?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now, I know that I love you, you love me, and my father isn't around." I smiled and starting kissing her. She turned around to face me and put her arms around my neck. She stopped for a moment and took her face away from mine, still close though, only inches away. She looked into my eyes and held my face in her small hand. I leaned into her hand, which was holding my scar.

"Zuko, I love you." A single tear came down her cheek and I kissed it away.

"I love you." I put my arms around her waist, and held her close.

In the morning, we packed everything up and continued you on to find the lost city.

"I can't exactly read this map Uncle gave me." Zena said looking confused.

"That's because you're holding it upside down. May I see it?" I smiled and she blushed giving it to me to read. We walked on for most of that day and reached out destination in the early evening.

"It's just a bunch of ruins, we're not gonna find anything."

"Don't be so pessimistic, Zuko. You sound like Mai." She giggled.

"Eh, well okay then. WOW. This place is great." I used heavy sarcasm.

"That's better, my love." She took my hand as we walked into the ruins.

The ruins were full of booby traps. I had to save Zena several times from getting an arrow through her head or something, as she had to save me from stepping on something leading to my death. We kept going further into the city when we found a courtyard with a Celestial Calendar.

"Well, crap. Now what? We can't open the doors because of this thing. The sun isn't in the right place." Zena said with a frown.

"The sun _isn't _in the right place…" I got out my swords and angled the light that bounced off onto the gem up high. The doors opened and we went inside.

"What is this place?" I asked out loud, knowing she couldn't answer.

"I don't know, but look at these moves…" She started copying them and I did as well. As we mimicked the moves of the statues, we triggered foot pads that brought up a pedestal holding the sunstone. Uncle had talked a little of it, but not enough for us to know why it was here or anything.

"What do we do about that?" Zena asked.

"Um, I'm not sure. I think we should probably leave it here." I grabbed her hand and turned to leave the huge room. We kept walking further into the city where we found a mural of the two dragons firebending against a warrior.

"Looks scary." Zena remarked, I just nodded. I didn't want to be around when the dragons got hungry.

We kept walking until we heard a battle cry and then it got dark.

"Let us go!" Zena and I yelled in unison. We had our hands behind our back in chains, not rope. Our captors must have known we're firebenders.

"First, you tell me why you have come to our city." They lifted the bags from over our heads so we could see who they were. They looked like Sun Warriors, and this must've been the chief.

"I've come because I am close to losing my firebending and I need help from the original firebenders. We came to gain knowledge of the art."

"You seek the dragons, do you?"

"I was told they were killed long ago, we came to get any kind of information about firebending we could. Zena is a waterbender, also with the gift of firebending. My Uncle Iroh sent us to learn more."

"Iroh? General Iroh?"

"Yes, he used to be. He has retired now though. Do you know him?"

"I do. He has kept our secret for many years." The chief softened and told a warrior to release our hands.

"Your secret? You mean, Iroh knew you were all still alive?" Zena asked with wide eyes.

"He did. Now, I trust you will do the same. If not, we will feed you to the dragons."

"Are they alive too? And yes, you have our word."

We were led to a fire where we ate and slept. The chief had told us in the morning we will get our knowledge.

We woke with the sun, everyone here did. We stretched and took in the sun's energy.

"Are you ready?" The chief asked Zena and I.

"To learn? Yes. Will we be training?" I replied to him.

"Training, no. Learning from two great masters, yes." He smiled and then led us to the edge of the water. There were huge steps leading up to the Lair of the Firebenders. Were they still alive? No one said anything. We were handed a handful of fire from the eternal flame and told to go up the steps. When we got there, there were two huge caves.

"Are the dragons in there?" I asked, feeling scared.

"I suppose so. Don't worry, Zuko. We got this." She was brave. She smiled to give me some comfort. I tried to be brave as well, but I did not want to die today.

Two magnificent dragons came out, Ran and Shaw. They were blue and red, they reminded me of Zena and I. Our original colors. They began circling us, and we weren't sure what to do.

"Zuko, what are they doing? What do _we_ do?" She asked. I could hear the fear in her voice now.

"I think, they want us to dance with them." And so we did. It was amazing we remembered all the moves, it must've been something inside us. We did the Dancing Dragon and then after it was over, the dragons stopped. The blue one in front of Zena, the red one in front of me. No one had told us what to do, but it was in our hearts. We bowed to our masters and then they opened their mouths. I was afraid we had done it wrong, or weren't worthy. But then they breathed fire on us, fire that didn't burn. All the beautiful colors of the rainbow, it was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. The dragons flew in the circles showing us this fire, this beautiful fire, not destructive or hurting. It was full of energy and power, but it was wonderful. Then they flew back into their caves and Zena and I took a deep breath and shot flames into the sky. It felt good. We were stronger, better firebenders than ever before. I took her hand and we walked down the steps.

"They deemed you worthy." The chief smiled at us warmly.

"They did. It was the most beautiful thing ever."

"They showed you true firebending. Full of life and energy, not hate."

"Indeed. We thank you so much for all your help. We will take these secrets to our graves." We bowed and then left the ancient city.

When we returned home to the palace, we were summoned by the Fire Lord.

"I have news that requires you to leave immediately."

Zena and I stood waiting for what it was.

"The avatar has been found. Azula and Admiral Zhao have found him near the desert in a small earthbending colony; I do not wish for them to capture the avatar however, I will be sending you two."

"Yes, Fire Lord." We bowed and left to pack our things and go find the avatar.

"Zuko, I feel bad. I want Azula to do this, so that she can restore her honor. She never will if your father continues to send us instead for her."

"I know, Zena. But we can't fight against him, I don't want you hurt again." I reached over and put my hand on her dark red shoulder, remembering how I almost lost her. She reached up and put her arms around my neck and I put mine around her waist.

"General, the Fire Lord wishes to speak to you." A guard came in with a worried look on his face.

"Right now? We are just about to leave to pursue the avatar."

"Yes, General. He needs to see you now, he said the avatar can wait."

"I'll be right there." She smiled at me and then left. I went to go plan out our course and prepare everything for our trip. I wondered what was so important that he needed to speak with her now, and not when we got back.

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 5

**AHH! two in one day. I'm proud of myself. I still didn't get all I wanted to in this one, but oh well. Its a weird one. Lemme know what you think of it =]**

**Thank you so much for reading guys. Remember to review! Its what keeps me going & makes me want to write more!**

**Chapter Four**

I left to go see the Fire Lord. What could be so important that we had to postpone a mission?

"You wanted to see me, Fire Lord?" I asked him, while he sat in his great chair with fire around him.

"Yes I did. I wanted to give you details about your mission and some plans I have for the future." Plans for the future? "The avatar is a young boy, about fifteen years old. He was seen with two earthbenders, a blind girl named Toph and a boy named Hiroshi, and also with an unnamed firebender. They are all very young, much like Zuko and yourself, only weaker, I'm sure."

"They may be young, but I would not underestimate their skills. He is the avatar however, and with his group already mastered all elements except for water, there I will have an advantage."

"Yes, you will. I have to say, I am quite proud of you, Zena. You are my strongest fighter and you have trained Zuko to be as well. He has become very strong, thanks to you." _Thanks to me? _I didn't do anything, it was Uncle and Zuko himself.

"Thank _you_, Fire Lord. I am happy to please you."

"Indeed. It is a shame you were not born to me, however it would put a dent in my plans for your future." Ouch. Another reminder I have no real family, and he was the one to destroy it. Even if he was, I wasn't about to open my mouth and ruin my new life.

"My future?" What did he mean?

"Yes. When you and Zuko return from capturing the avatar, I wish for you to be married, not immediately, but soon. It would quite the advantageous marriage. Zuko a strong Fire Lord, and you his companion as a fierce Fire Lady. Now, don't complain that you do not love each other and such. I do not care about that, besides you've been friends for a while. It won't be so bad."

"Yes, you're right, Fire Lord. Prince Zuko and I would make one of the strongest couples in the fire nation yet. Thank you for such a wonderful match." I replied as coolly as I could, but my heart was beating so fast. I couldn't believe I didn't even have to fight to be with Zuko. It was just handed to me on a silver platter.

"I am proud to have such a wonderful son, he will be a good husband for you." He actually smiled at me as he said it. "Zena, you haven't told Zuko about our talk last year have you? I trust you've kept it safe with yourself."

"Yes, of course, Fire Lord. I gave you my word."

"Well then. I have something else I need to get off my chest. With you being my future daughter in-law, I feel I can tell you and you will keep your word again." He looked at me very seriously. I could see pain in his distraught eyes.

"I _will, _Fire Lord."

"Ah yes. Years ago, when Azula was my favorite child, I needed her to be the next Fire Lord, the one to carry on my succession. The only way that could happen was if Zuko was gone…my wife saved me from making a terrible mistake. Though, at the time I did not see it as such. I banished my wife, Zena. She spoke treason against me and I could not stand it. There was many times where I wanted to go and find her and bring her back. But I could not risk my honor. I had to accept Zuko would be Fire Lord and hope that he would shape up and carry out the tradition as a man, not a foolish boy. It seems my hope paid off. Zuko is much stronger now, stronger than Azula was. You will be a better than Azula could dream." His words so harsh, and he didn't even realize. I felt a tear piercing my eye, but I would refuse to let it drop. "I thank you for your word, Zena. I have a great respect for you. Tell Zuko about your engagement, will you? He should get you a ring. May Agni be with you on your journey."

"Thank you, Fire Lord Ozai." I bowed and turned to leave. As I walked back to find Zuko, I had to lean against a wall and catch my breath. Zuko has been lied to! His own father wanted to kill him. I took in a deep breath and let it out, smoke coming out my nose as I did. I was fuming with anger. I walked down the halls to my room to pack, steam and smoke coming out my nose and mouth as I walked. My fists were surrounded by fire. I generally wasn't one to give into my temper, but this had gone too far. I swung my fist and punched a wall, leaving the wall burned and my fist bruised and knuckle slightly broken. I didn't have time to heal it when I got to my room, so I gently wrapped it. I packed all the clothes I would be needing, things I would need to bathe, and an extra set of armor. I threw on my battle armor and boots. I put my hair up into a ponytail and secured it with a red ribbon, my bangs sweeping down. They were longer on the left side, to cover the burn and my pale blind eye mostly. A guard stopped me in the hall on my way to Zuko's and said he was already on the ship. I made my way to ship and I walked right past Zuko and Uncle. I heard Zuko ask if he had done something wrong and Uncle said he wasn't sure but to give me a moment. I got to my room below deck and threw my things into the room. I was still extremely angry, my whole body was hot, I couldn't control my temperature. I decided to take a few minutes before returning to deck and meditate. I took off my armor, leaving me in dark red baggy pants that stopped at my mid calf, and a shirt that stopped a few inches above my bellybutton. I lit candles on the floor in a circle around me as I sat with my legs crossed. I took deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. I was starting to clear my mind, when the thoughts of how cruel Fire Lord Ozai had been to lie to everyone, especially to Zuko, as the flames around me grew hotter and larger. I got up and left my room, to return on deck. I would go talk to Iroh and Zuko, maybe which would help. I doubted it would, however, seeing Zuko's face would just remind me of everything. Even still, I got up and left, not bothering to my armor back on. I know I didn't look like a general with what I was wearing, but I didn't care. I didn't care that my hair was falling out, or that I wasn't wearing shoes. I was definitely way to pissed off to even think about caring about that.

"Zena, I didn't get to talk to you as you came aboard. Is everything alright?" Iroh asked me as I emerged from the stairs. Zuko was standing close to us, giving orders a lieutenant. His face looked distracted and sad, because of me. I didn't mean to give the impression I was mad at him.

"No, it's not. But it's something I have to deal with. I do have happy news, however." I tried my best to smile at him.

"Whatever you say, young one. Zuko's mother once said, 'no matter how things seem to change, never forget who you are.' Everything will be okay. I know you, Zena. I know if you need to tell me, you will. And if you need to work it out, you will. Now tell me, what is your news?" He smiled warmly at me.

"It involves Zuko and me. I think we should have dinner, just the three of us and then I will tell you."

"Alright, as soon as Zuko is done bossing these guys around, we shall go." He chuckled, and I did too. Zuko did get bossy on missions, but I know he only wanted to do his job correctly.

After Zuko gave his orders to set a course for Gaoling, where the avatar had been seen, he came over to me and took my hand.

"What's wrong?"

"Just something your father said made me uneasy. I'll be fine though. He did give me some wonderful news, however."

"What is it?"

"I told Iroh I would tell you both over dinner. I know I'm not really dressed for dinner, but I don't feel like caring right now." I laughed a bit as Zuko looked me up and down and smiled.

"You always look beautiful, Zena. But let's go, I wanna hear what you have to say." We headed to a small square room with a table and three pillows on the floor for sitting. The table had rice, roast duck, vegetables, and soup. Uncle had already started eating; he had to keep that belly full.

"So, as you might've known, I talked to the Fire Lord today." I told them between bites of my rice.

"Did you? I did not know. Zuko did you know?" Uncle said with a mouthful of duck and rice, and Zuko nodded to him.

"Well, he proposed something. Zuko, we're engaged. For real." I smiled and took his hand.

"Wait, what? Did you bring it up, or him?"

"He brought it up. He told me it would an 'advantageous marriage.' He also said he didn't care if we loved each other or not, because we had to marry each other anyways." I laughed at that, lucky for us, we're in love.

"I can't believe it! I can finally kiss you in public, hold your hand, hold you…" Zuko blushed and Uncle made mock gagging sounds.

"I am very happy for you two. Your wedding will be one of the greatest days of my life." Uncle wiped a small tear from his eye and got up. He pulled us both into a fierce hug and whispered how proud he was of us. We struggled to get out of his arms, so we could hold each other instead. I put my arms around Zuko's waist and his around my shoulders and then we kissed, for a long time. Uncle had left to go yell out on the deck that we were officially engaged. Zuko picked me up like a bride on her wedding night.

"Zuko, it's too soon. You're supposed to sweep me off my feet like that at our wedding." I teased him, kissing his cheek as we walked out on deck with Uncle and the soldiers. Someone started playing music and everyone was dancing as Zuko still held me, twirling around under the moonlight.

I woke up to Zuko's face. He was sitting by me on my bed, gently rubbing my shoulder to get me to wake.

"Good morning, sleepyhead. We're close to the Earth Kingdom shores, and then we'll have to travel on ostrich horses to get to Gaoling."

"Alright, I'll go wash up and then I'll meet you on deck." He kissed my forehead and left my room.

I took a bath, washing my hair and brushing it smooth. I pulled on my pants and shirt, then my armor and boots. I put my hair in my usual ponytail, leaving my bangs out as always. I got together a backpack of stuff I would need to bring as we left the ship. I went up to deck with Uncle, Zuko and two soldiers that were coming with us on foot. We left the crew and went to get ostrich horses.

When we got to Gaoling, we had to be careful not to get into trouble, people didn't like the Fire Nation, and although we would get hurt, we didn't want to hurt anyone. Zuko went to find the men that had seen the avatar's flying bison. I went to look around and see if there were any clues as to where he was hiding.

Zuko met back up with me in the afternoon.

"The group of men who had seen the flying bison when Zhao and Azula were with them said he went towards the Si Wong desert. They say probably to the Misty Palms Oasis."

"The desert? That's gonna be like hell to go through. But I guess we gotta do it."

"I know it will be. We have to leave the men and Uncle. I don't want them dying out there. I think it'd be better if it was just me and you."

"I'm fine with that. We'd better go." We saddled up again and left for the desert. It took us two days to get to the edge of the desert. We weren't sure how long it was gonna take once we were in the desert though.

The Desert

"It's getting dark, we should probably sleep, don't you think?" I asked Zuko.

"Yeah, I'm getting tired." He got out our sleeping bags and laid them on the sandy ground.

"I hate the desert. I get sand in places where I _really_ don't want sand."

"Ugh, same here." He took off his shirt, shaking off the sand. His muscles were so perfectly formed. I knew where I was sleeping. Right on his chest.

"Oh my goodness. You know what I just realized, Zuko?"

"What, Zee?" He said smiling as he laid down on his sleeping bag propping his head to look at me as I said cross legged on mine.

"I can actually wear the ring you gave me now. Not just around my neck, but on my _finger_ to show everyone!" I undid the chain around my neck and placed the ring on my finger. It felt so comfortable there. It belonged on my finger.

"You can. I can't believe we're _really _truly engaged." He pulled me over to him, so that we were spooning on his sleeping bag. He leaned to kiss my cheek, and then rolled me over to kiss my lips. We kept kissing and he got on top of me, pinning my arms above my head and kissing down my neck. He whispered "I love you" into my skin, leaving little kisses everywhere. He rolled onto his back and looked up at the stars. Suddenly, something dark covered up a patch of stars as it moved across the sky.

"_What_ _is that?"_ He got up staring at the sky trying to get a better look.

"It looks like…the avatar's bison?" I shot a stream of fire trying to shed light on the figure.

"It's the avatar and his bison!" Zuko shot up flames, but the bison flew away from them each time.

"He's going too fast, we'll never catch them on foot, Zuko." I said sadly.

"Crap." He muttered some swear words under his breath.

"I'm sorry, Zuko." I went over to him and put my hand against his face. "We _will_ get him."

"How do you know that?"

"I know it because you're strong. You're a fighter and you won't give up." I looked meaningfully into his golden eyes. They were so beautiful under the moonlight.

"Thank you." He leaned down and kissed me, and then we fell asleep. I knew tomorrow was going to be a big day.

We woke up with the sun and immediately starting going in the direction we saw the avatar go. The day went by fast, we were tired and hot. I waterbended the sweat of our faces, but it was still torture going through the desert. We went until we couldn't anymore, and then ate dinner and slept, only to continue on the next day.

The days passed as we went through the desert. Zuko's hair had grown around his ponytail, to the point where he just cut off his ponytail with a sharp rock. I'm sure he was much cooler that way as well.

"Zuko, we're running out of water and food. I don't know what to do, there are no clouds I can bend water from, and I wouldn't trust the cactus juice. I've heard stories. It's like liquid crack."

"I know, I know. We just have to make it until we find somewhere to buy more food. I'm sure there's a sandbender colony out here somewhere."

We continued on until Zuko passed out, falling off his ostrich horse, making it run away.

"ZUKO! No!" I jumped off my ostrich horse and ran to him. "Oh please, please wake up, Zuko." I tried everything I could, he was dehydrated and there was no water around. "Oh, dear Agni, please, please save him." I picked him up and put him on my ostrich horse, which was quite a feat being how he was six foot tall and I was five feet and a half and weighed much more than me, with all those muscles of his. I went as fast as I could, night would come soon and it would be much cooler so I could travel and not die. As I went on trough the night however, I became very dizzy. "Oh, please, I don't want to die today. Not like this." I started crying as I knew in a matter of minutes I would pass out just like Zuko. I felt my eyes get heavy, and then I fell to the side, taking Zuko with me.


	6. Chapter 6

**Alrighty! Here we go! Remember to review! =] read my other story, I've only got one chapter up as of right now, tomorrow I will update it & probably this as well.**

**Thank you so much for reading! -kiwi**

**Chapter Five**

I woke up in the clouds, flying through the air. I was pretty sure I was dead. My hands were tied together and I was laying on my back floating in the air, only for my dream to be crashed by an annoying voice.

"Hey Aang, I think she's coming around. Not the big guy though."

"Thanks Hiroshi. I'll come talk to her, you take the reins, okay?" I figured it was the Aang person, WAIT. The Aang person? THE AVATAR? I tried to sit up and yell, but I was so weak. I tried to bend from the clouds and I couldn't, I tried firebending, but I couldn't do it. I was then helped up a warm hand.

"Um, hey? I'm Aang, the avatar…I, uh, took your bending away 'cause I didn't want you guys to kill me." He spoke quick and I could tell he was nervous.

"Hi. I'm just _so_ delighted to be your prisoner and everything, now let us go. We've got business to care of, Avatar." I spoke slow so he could understand, _I am not being held captive._

"I, uh, yeah, I can't let you go. I've got stuff to do, and you're just gonna distract me, so you've gotta stay put." He smiled and went back to the front of the giant bison. I tried my best to squirm out of my bonds but I couldn't bend. I looked over at Zuko who was still sleeping and tried to shift my body so I could nudge him.

"I'm gonna go hang with Aang…" The blind girl spoke next.

"Aang saved your lives." I looked over to see who spoke, it was a boy, probably around Zuko's age. I figured he was the firebender Fire Lord Ozai spoke of.

"I'm grateful. But I have orders that I _will_ carry out."

"You could at least listen to what he's doing. The Fire Lord is trying to take over of everything, and he's succeeding, Aang is trying to bring peace. The Fire Lord killed my family and dozens of other families. By the looks of you, he probably killed yours as well. You're water tribe right? Dark skin, blue eyes. Although, when you shot at us, there were two colored flames. I don't suppose the Prince can do both, can he? What's your deal?"

"You shut up. You have no right to talk like that. You betrayed your own kind, didn't you?"

"I didn't betray anyone. The Fire Nation betrayed _me._" He almost whispered the last part.

I spat at him. I wanted to kill him for saying those things about my family. I had a new family, one that I liked, if that never had happened I would never have met Zuko.

"You betrayed your own kind. The Fire Lord wiped out the water tribes years ago. You're the bad guy here. You had a family, and a life. I had a best friend there, a boy named Sokka, he had a sister too. Her name was Katara." His words stung me. I hadn't heard that name in nine years. He must be lying.

"YOU SHUT UP NOW!" I yelled so loud tears came out my eyes and steam out my nose and mouth.

"I'm only telling you what you need to hear. The Fire Lord is a bad guy, he's hurt many families, and the only ones to stop him is Aang. You are _not_ going to stand in his way." His eyes turned from gold to red and his fists became surrounded by blue fire, something I've never even heard of. But absolutely didn't care to ask about. I shifted my body to face Zuko's, I nudged him trying to get him to wake up and help me think of a way off this thing.

"Zuko, Zuko wake up. We're on the Avatar's bison." I whispered to him. He slowly opened his eyes.

"Are we dead?"

"No, we've been captured by the Avatar."

"WHAT?" Steam came out his mouth as he spoke.

"They've taken our bending away. I don't know what to do."

"Alright, everyone. We're about to land on Kyoshi Island!" The Avatar spoke cheerfully. The firebender picked me up and jumped off Appa, then returned me to my feet on solid ground.

"_Think_ about what I said. It's true." He leaned close and whispered it in my ear. If my hands weren't tied together, I would've strangled him right then and there. Zuko was put down by my side as well.

"Okay…so. I could untie you guys, if you promise not to try and kill me. Your bending will still be taken away though."

"I will never make a promise to the Avatar." Zuko looked at him with dagger-like eyes.

"Okay then, how about you?" He looked at me. I didn't say anything; I just returned his stare with cold eyes. "Alright, neither of you. Well, its gonna be hard to eat then." He gestured for us to follow him and we did. We didn't know what else to do. We were led to a small room. "Well…I could lock you in this room. That way you could eat and sleep comfortably. There's gonna be Kyoshi Warriors outside your room as well, so I wouldn't try and sneak out if I were you." He led us in the room and loosely untied our bonds, leaving the rest to us, then left the room with the sound of the door locking.

"This is so stupid." Zuko said as he was untying my bonds, he had already got out of his, but of course I had trouble with mine.

"Tell me about it." I sighed, and then went to lay on the bed in the middle of the small room. I thought about all the things that firebender had said. Had he known my family? Was he even telling the truth? I thought long and hard. I did betray my own people. But now, I was loyal to the Fire Nation. I felt so torn. Of course, I didn't want Fire Lord Ozai on the throne, but when Zuko got there everything would be good. He would return the power to the rightful kings and chiefs and everything. Still, everyday more people and families were torn apart by Fire Nation orders. I never had a choice in what I did, orders were orders, and I followed them. I thought about my old family, I remembered a brother. Was his name Sokka? I began to cry, thinking about the brother that was now gone forever.

"Zee, what's wrong?" He came to the bed and sat with my head in his lap. He was stroking my hair and my back. I told him what the firebender had said.

"Oh, love…he's probably lying. He's trying to get you to rebel against our orders." He leaned down and kissed my hair, still rubbing my shoulders.

"I know, I know…it's just… I have memories, Zuko. And whether or not _his_ story is true, I did have a family that was destroyed by the Fire Nation. I remember the day they came. Ashes came down, and then fire was being sent in all directions. I got lost in the fight and was taken. They knew I was there, Zuko. They had been looking for people like me. I just…gave up. I didn't fight back. I thought I was going to die the day I got there, if it hadn't been for your mother. But still, I should've been loyal to my people." I cried. I didn't want to tell him this. I didn't want him to be mad at me for thinking this, though I was afraid he might me. "Zuko, I'm so torn."

"I know you are. When I'm Fire Lord, I will end the war."

"What if your father continues to keep the throne? What if the war could end sooner?"

"You mean side with the _Avatar_?"

"Yes. I do." I sat up to face him. His face held so many emotions, fear, anger, hate, sadness, relief, everything.

"You know we can't." He spoke clearly and harder than normal.

"Who says? Your father? He's cruel. Look what he did to you, Zuko. What kind of father does that? He let Azula fight me, hell _he didn't care if she killed me._ Do you remember that? Why should we follow his orders? They haven't brought anything but destruction!" Smoke came out my mouth as I spoke.

"I know that! I know… I remember." He yelled then became very calm.

"Then what's stopping you? The Avatar is trying to bring peace. That's what I want."

"The Avatar has been gone for over a hundred years! And now he suddenly returns? He's just a boy. How is he going to take down my father?"

"He's the Avatar. I could even teach him waterbending. With his group, and _our_ help, I know we could do it, Zuko. I don't want anyone else to go through what my tribe did, and dozens of other families."

"I don't know, Zena."

"What don't you know?" I was starting to get pissed off. I was right, he knew it.

"Fine." His golden eyes bore into mine. Then he looked down in defeat.

"Thank you, Zuko. I'm sorry." I wrapped my arms around him. "I love you."

"I know. I love you too."

In the morning, Zuko and I got up and washed in the small room, there was a curtain separating where the water and small shower was from the rest of the room. After we dressed, with our backs turned to each other, even though I'm sure we each had a small peek sometime, I put my dark hair in a long braid and of course, left my long bangs out slightly covering my left eye. I wore dark red pants to my knee and a shirt showing off my toned belly and arms. Zuko's hair had grown out in the desert and he had cut it, so he didn't have to worry about that. He wore black pants to the knee and a dark red shirt. After we finished getting ready to plead forgiveness and help, I knocked on the door.

"Yes?" A Kyoshi warrior spoke.

"Hi, um…can you send the Avatar over here? I really have to talk to him. I swear I won't kill him."

The door unlocked and we went outside.

"Good morning. How'd you guys sleep?" The Avatar spoke.

"Um…we slept good. Thanks. So, I-we want to help. I thought a lot last night, and I've decided, capturing you is a stupid idea. Zuko and I were just waiting until he became Fire Lord to fix everything, but if we can do that sooner, with you…that'd be great."

"Huh. Really? Well, I don't trust you, yet. But, after some time and planning what we're going to do, and seeing your dedication to this, I know I will." He smiled. "Oh and uh, if you're lying, my friend over there, Toph, she can sense lies."

"The blind girl?" Zuko asked.

"Yes, her. She's the world's greatest earthbender. She sees with her feet." The Avatar simply stated.

"Okay…cool."

"Alright, well. Let me go introduce you to everyone."

We followed the boy to a small house and went inside.

"Twinkletoes. What are they doing in here?" The blind girl pointed towards us.

"I'm introducing them to you. They wanna help." He replied to her and she just shrugged. "Okay, Zena, Zuko this is Toph," he pointed to the blind girl, "this is Hiroshi, Toph's cousin" he pointed to a boy dressed in green, "this is Suki," he pointed to a Kyoshi warrior without her make up on, "and this is Ryuu." He pointed to the person with the last name, the firebender that had spoken to me. He looked at me and winked. "Alright. So, Zena is a General in the Fire Nation and Zuko the crown Prince. They will help us in defeating the Fire Lord. The day of Black Sun is next week, when all firebenders lose their bending. I think that would be a good day to strike."

"Um, Avatar? I have an idea." I spoke next. He looked at me, as did everyone else, giving me full attention. "Okay, so… Sozin's comet is also coming soon. In a couple of weeks, the Fire Lord will be strongest then. My idea is, Zuko and I bring the Avatar as a fake prisoner, then on the day of Black Sun, you guys break him out and we'll take out most of the guards and the Fire Lord if we get to him on that day, if not, _before_ Sozin's comet."

I looked at everyone in the room. They were all thinking about it.

"How do we know you don't wanna just capture Aang for real?" Hiroshi asked.

"Well…um. I guess you don't, but you could trust me."

"She's not lying. I would know." Toph spoke, I was grateful for her then.

"I think with some more planning we could make that work." Aang contemplated my plan, which wasn't well thought out since I had just thought of it. "If we're going to do it, we gotta get ready fast and leave soon. We'll in four days. That'll also be enough time for you two to prove you don't want to kill us."

Over the next four days, we all talked and talked. I told Ryuu I was grateful for him telling me what he did. I asked about my brother and my family, it hurt a lot, but I felt better knowing. We made friends in a short amount of time; we began to trust each other. I had also begun teaching Aang how to waterbend. He was showing quick progress and it felt good, sharing my skills. I was one of the only waterbenders left, and now Aang was one too.

I thought about telling Zuko what his father had told me. I desperately wanted to.

"Ryuu…can I talk to you?"

"Yeah, sure. What's up?" I took him by the arm aside and told him what Fire Lord Ozai had told me about Zuko.

"His mother is still _alive_. I don't know if I should tell him or not. What do you think?"

"If I were Zuko, I'd want you to tell me."

"Yeah? Alright…thank you. I'm gonna go find him." I hugged him lightly and went to talk to Zuko.

"Hey, Zee, wait." I turned back around. "Um, I think I saw him by the water." I smiled and left.

I went to the water and saw Zuko walking across the beach, the moonlight bouncing off the water showing the outline of his body. This was our last night on the island, we were leaving tomorrow.

"Zuko." He turned and smiled. He walked towards me and took my hands in his. "I've got something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"The Fire Lord made me give him my word I wouldn't tell anyone, especially you. But, it's not something I can keep from you." His face turned worried and I told him about his father's plan to make Azula Fire Lord, and about his mother. Tears welled in my eyes as I spoke and smoke came out my mouth at the same time, I was sad and furious, both at once.

"You were going to keep this from me?" He let go of my hands, letting them drop.

"Only until after you were made Fire Lord." I looked down, he had a right to be mad.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me." He looked down at me, he was angry, he breathed fire as he spoke and I stood back.

"I know, I-I wanted to, Zuko. I just didn't want to risk anything."

"I need some time." He looked at me for a couple seconds, and then turned walking farther down the beach.

I returned to the house where the gang was.

"How'd he take it?" Ryuu asked me.

"He got mad and said 'he needed time.' That's not a good sign."

"Well, then give him time. He won't be mad for long."

"Uh, hey Zena? Um, Zuko's your fiancé right?" Hiroshi came through the door running.

"Yes, he is." I sighed. Hopefully he'll stay that way.

"Oh, um…he was getting awfully close to that Kyoshi Warrior girl, Suki." He looked nervous, like he'd seen a ghost.

"_What._"

"Uh yeah…"

I stormed out of the room. He had a right to be mad, that's fine. But to go to another girl while he's mad at me? Not okay. I walked down the beach, breathing fire, my fists balled, ready to shoot. Then I saw him, in Suki's arms. She was comforting him. I hid in a shadow, watching the way she held him. Sweet and loving. I was furious. I wanted to go and kill her right then. But, instead I turned around and went back to the house.

"Are they still alive?" Toph asked as I came in the door.

"Yeah. I didn't even talk to them. She was holding him. He was letting her hold him. Not me." I started crying. "We're engaged. He's supposed to come to me, not some girl."

"I'm sorry, Zee." Aang spoke, he was frowning. Toph got up and went to bed, Hiroshi slowly followed her. Aang said he had to go prepare things before he went to bed. It was just me and Ryuu.

"He's just not thinking. It'll be alright." He came closer to me and gave me a small hug.

"Thanks. I shouldn't worry with this right now, we're leaving tomorrow and we need to be ready. I just hope Zuko doesn't let his emotions get to him and screw this up."

Ryuu held my hand for a moment and then slowly reached up towards my face, he planted his lips on mine, soft and sweet. He held them there and then slowly backed away.

"I'm so sorry." He said quickly apologizing and letting go of my hand. "I shouldn't have done that."

"No, no. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have _let_ you do that." I looked away from him. "Um, I'm just gonna go to bed now. I'll see you in the morning."

_Crap. CRAP. CRAP! I shouldn't have done that. That was so stupid. I don't even like him. I want Zuko back. _

I went to sleep quickly, knowing in the morning we would have to fool the Fire Lord into thinking we captured the Avatar, then bust him out and take down the Fire Nation.


	7. Chapter 7

**This chapter is a bit shorter than others, but I'll make it up in the next chapter!**

**There's lots of changing P.O.V.'s, so watch out. I think you can handle it though!**

**Remember to review! =]**

Chapter Six

I can't believe she didn't tell me sooner. Yes, I was upset, but I shouldn't have been so upset with her, rather than my father. How cruel of him to banish my mother in an attempt to kill me. I would've given my life for my mother's, had I the choice. But now, my father was going to pay with his life. There were things I did that night that I regret. Of them, getting mad at Zena, walking away from her, and going to Suki. Even though Suki's words were comforting, what she did was not. She held me close, which at first was fine. The kiss she gave me crossed a line.

_"I'm just upset she didn't tell me sooner." I confided in her._

_"I'm sure she didn't mean to. If I were her, I would've told you Zuko." Her voice sounded different than usual._

_"Thanks, Suki. I'd better go talk to her though and apologize." I turned to leave._

_"Wait, Zuko." She grabbed my arm and pulled me close, leaving me no choice but to wrap my arms around her. The embrace did feel nice, not like Zena's though. Thats what I really needed. Suki leaned back from my chest to look up at me._

_"I'm sorry, Zuko." She whispered, and then leaned in towards my face, planting her firm lips on mine. I pushed her away from me._

_"WHAT are you DOING?" I yelled, and her face twisted in confusion._

_"I thought that that's what you wanted. Why you came to me." _

_"No, no, no. I just needed a friend. I'm sorry Suki, I'm engaged and I intend to stay that way, no matter what me and Zena go through." So I turned and left._

I rubbed my forehead, and thought about how I was going to tell Zena. Before I could think anymore, she came running up to me.

"Zuko, I'm so sorry about last night. You're right, I should've told you sooner and I'm so sorry." There was a space between us, filed with lots of tension. Her head was down in defeat, but when I caught a glimpse of her eyes, I could tell she'd been crying.

"No, I'm sorry. I had no right to become angry at you. You were only trying to protect us. My father is rightful owner of my hatred, and it could never ever be you." I closed the gap between us and hugged her tight. She wrapped her arms around my waist, and mine around her shoulders.

"Zuko, I've gotta tell you something…" She pulled away, and looked down. "This is hard for me to say, but-well…okay, so… Last night, I was talking with Ryuu about what happened and I was sad, and, and, he kind of kissed me, it wasn't anything big at all. Just a light 'I'm sorry' type of thing. I told him, that the only one for me is you, and I intend for it to stay that way." She had started crying. "I'm so sorry, Zuko. Please, forgive me."

"I've got something to say too…" I started.

"No, I know. I saw you and Suki last night, I was ready to kill her, but I knew it wouldn't do any good."

"Oh no… I didn't want that. She kissed me and I told her, pretty much what you told Ryuu. Last night was unfortunate, and I never want anything to happen like that again. I forgive you a thousand times. I love _you_." I embraced her once again, and she whispered her forgiveness of me in my ear.

"Uh, sorry if I'm interrupting something here, but we've gotta go now." Aang spoke up awkwardly.

We let go of each other, grabbed our stuff and threw it on the giant bison. I sat by Zena, and on the other side of her sat Hiroshi, across from us sat Ryuu, Toph and Suki. Aang, of course, was steering Appa in the front.

"How'd you get that burn?" Ryuu asked, pointing at Zena's shoulder. She was wearing a tank top, cut above the belly button, and pants to the knee, showing the long red and pink scar down her whole left side. Hiroshi nodded his head in agreement that he wanted to know as well.

"Agni Kai. I fought his sister, Princess Azula. She burned me with lightening." She spoke coldly and clearly.

"And how'd you get yours?" Pointing at my scar.

"Agni Kai. I fought my father, Fire Lord Ozai." I spoke just as cold as Zena.

"You guys must not be very good."

"Listen, twerp. I refused to fight, because _he_ is my father and I wouldn't dare fight him. She fought the strongest firebender the Fire Nation before her. Azula left her for dead, and then Zena got up and burned Azula right back. You know _nothing._"

"Whatever, _your highness_." He mock bowed and I was tempted to throw him off this flying bison.

"Damn right, peasant!" I yelled at him, clenching my fist, ready to knock him out. Zena noticed and covered my hand with her small hand.

"I love this." Toph spoke, with a grin on her face and a fist smacked against her flat palm.

"Me too." Hiroshi agreed.

"Guys, I need to think! Can you be please, be quiet for the rest of the trip?" Aang yelled from Appa's reigns.

We would be flying for most of the day, until we got to a clearing near the Fire Nation, then we would travel with only Aang on foot, to make it look like he was our prisoner. On the day of black sun, we would help Aang would sneak out and go to the Fire Lord. The eclipse will only last eight minutes, so we'd have to hurry and have Aang out before it starts. When we reach the Fire Lord, Zena, Aang, Hiroshi and Toph would have to rely on their bending, I would use my swords, Suki her fans and Ryuu, I don't know what he's gonna do.

"Ryuu, what are you going to on the day of black sun?" I asked, I wanted to know because it would help my mental planning.

"My firebending never goes out." He stated casually.

"All firebenders lose their bending then."

"Not me." I wasn't going to get an explanation. I just shrugged it off and decided to sleep, so I laid myself on Zena's lap and drifted off.

* * *

Toph

I AM SO EXCITED. I'm gonna kick some serious butt in two days. Those fire guys won't even know what hit them. Well, they will. Because it's gonna be me, world's greatest earthbender! I bet if I help take down the Fire Lord, Twinkletoes will be more interested in me. In fact, I'm gonna sit with him.

"Hey, Aangy." I sat by him and gave him a punch.

"Oh, hey, Toph." He seems distracted.

"Are you scared?"

"What? No, I so got this." He nervously chuckled.

"Yes you are! I'm sure you'll do fine though and not get us all killed. You are the Avatar, so no pressure there." I laughed as his heart beat wildly. "Okay, so really. Are you okay? Because if you tell me you are, I know you'll be lying."

"Yeah, no. I mean no. There's just, something I wanna tell somebody."

"You're in love with Suki, aren't you?" I laughed. I desperately hope he's not.

"NO! No, I mean, she's great, but…well. She's not like you." I felt him shift towards me, his heartbeat extremely loud in my ears. "Truth is, Toph, I've liked-no, loved, you ever since you decided to come with me." Oh my god. I'm paralyzed. He's holding my hand. Oh I wish I wasn't blind right now so I could see what he's doing. His lips are on mine. Oh, goodness…

"Aang, I think I love you too." I felt myself blush. "Well, I mean, I know I like you, but I don't know about love yet, 'cause well, you know me. I don't really 'love' a lot of people…" I was rambling. I am happy.

* * *

Ryuu

All I want is to be in love. It was wrong of me to think Zena was going to be the one, already having Zuko over there. They're right for each other and I shouldn't have interfered. After a life of wandering, all I want is to settle down. I honestly don't want to be fighting the Fire Lord. I will, for the people. But after this, I'm going to meet a nice girl, marry her and have a bunch of kids. That's the perfect life for me.

* * *

Suki

Look at that disgusting Prince. He totally wanted me last night, and now he's laying that fat stupid head on that stupid girl. Fine, whatever. He's not funny enough anyways. He's got absolutely _no_ sense of humor. He's just got big, big, big muscles…

* * *

Hiroshi

I WANNA BE THERE ALREADY.

"Guys, are we there yet?"

"No, its gonna take all day. Then you and everyone else, except me, Zuko and Aang, are going to stay with Appa until the eclipse. Then you're gonna come kick butt with us. Got it?" Zena spoke. I like her. She's nice sometimes. I bet she would've been more nice if we had met in a nicer situation.

OH MY GOD I'M HUNGRY.

"Do we have any food?"

"No, you ate it all an hour ago. Like I said two seconds ago, wait until we stop, then go hunt for some food once camp is set up. Okay?" She spoke again. She has a nice voice, but she definitely sounds irritated.

I GOTTA PISS.

"I have to pee."

"WE JUST TOOK YOU FIVE MINUTES AGO!"

* * *

Aang

I am so in love.

Okay, gotta stop thinking about that, time to start thinking about the fight.

I've got the Order of the White Lotus coming, King Bumi is going to retake his city, and I'm going to defeat the Fire Lord.

Toph's lips are so soft…

Fighting. Lots of fighting.

I should marry her.

I should bring peace to the nations.

I bet if I married her we could help repopulate the Air Nomads.

FIGHTING. MUST FIGHT.

* * *

Zuko Dreaming

"Daddy! Look at what I can do!" Katara's eyes are so big, like her mother's, but amber like mine. So beautiful.

"What is it sweetie?"

"Okay, watch." She's making a current in the water, pulling the turtleducks closer.

"That's beautiful. You should go show mommy."

* * *

Zuko

Oh Agni. What a beautiful dream.

Our kids are going to be so amazing.

Zena is so beautiful when she's lost in thought. I'm just going to lay here for a while.

We're going to have to act quickly when we get Aang out.

Straight to the throne. I'll let Ryuu, Hiroshi, Suki and Toph take out Azula. Zena, Aang and I will take my father.

I don't want to kill him, even if it is what he deserves. I'll ask what his plan is.

"HIROSHI. SHUT UP. No more bathroom stops, got it?" Zena looks so cute when she gets angry.

* * *

Zena

Please, please, _please_ shut up Hiroshi…

I have to tell Zuko we're never having children.

"HIROSHI. I am not going to tell you again. One more bathroom stop and I'm going to throw you off."

Okay…back to thinking.

After we take down Ozai, we're going to find Ursa. Our wedding is probably going to be postponed for a while, I wonder if Uncle Iroh should take over as Fire Lord while we do that. I'll have to talk to Zuko after this is all over.

* * *

We finally landed in a small clearing where Hiroshi, Ryuu, Toph and Suki would wait while Zena and I take Aang.

"Alright, we've gotta change into our armor. Aang, try and make yourself look slightly dirty and tired. Have Toph punch you a couple times, just for good measure. We want this to look as real as possible." I went into a rock tent Toph had made, and changed into my royal armor, with gold and dark red accents. When I came out I saw that Zena already looked like the General she was before we left. Her dark red armor, though covering her, didn't cover the fact that she was still amazingly beautiful. She pulled her dark brown hair into a ponytail, leaving out her bangs. She had become less self-conscience, so instead of having hair cover her face, she let the scar on her face show.

Toph punched Aang in the face, bruising him and leaving a black eye, then kissing it. I guess I missed something there. He airbended some dirt onto his clothes. He actually looked like he had been captured.

"Nice job, Toph." I high fived her, still amazed about her sight in her feet. "Are you guys ready to go?"

"Yep!" The Avatar sounded so cheerful.

"Awesome, Aang…" I looked at Zena, and she nodded.

"General, we're ready to take the prisoner."

"Of course, Prince Zuko." Smiling at me, she grabbed a small bag her things, and started walking.

We'd reach the palace by early morning.


	8. Chapter 8

**Here we go! It's gettin good =D**

**Remember to review!**

Chapter Seven

"We have brought back the Avatar, Fire Lord Ozai. He is at the Boiling Rock." I bowed and then stood, holding my helmet to the side. The sight of him made my blood boil. I could feel my body temperature rise, as I could feel Zuko's growing warmer as we stood next to me.

"Thank you, General and Prince Zuko."

We both bowed again and waited to see if there was anything else the Fire Lord had to say.

"As for the wedding arrangements, I want the wedding to take place tomorrow. I've prepared the whole time you were gone. Zuko, I see you've gotten her a ring already, excellent." He glanced at my left hand, looking at the ring Zuko had given me when we were first engaged. I had forgotten to take it off, as I normally did in case someone noticed, but now it was okay to be noticed. "Will you be ready tomorrow for marriage? If not, I suppose I could postpone it a few more days, in thought that you just returned from the capture of the Avatar."

"Yes, he has… May we think about it and get back to you before noon?" I asked, knowing tomorrow would be the eclipse.

"Of course. Thank you again, Prince Zuko, General Zena." He nodded and actually smiled. He must be in a good mood.

Zuko and I bowed and left the throne room. We went to his room to discuss things.

"If the Avatar weren't in jail and the eclipse was a key factor in our whole plot, I would marry you tomorrow without a doubt in my mind." We sat on his bed, across from each other with our legs crossed. Zuko leaned to kiss my neck, and entwined his fingers with mine.

"You know I would too. Zuko, you don't think Aang is going to kill him, do you?" I leaned back from his kisses.

"I already talked to him before we last yesterday. He said as an Avatar, he refuses to kill anyone, unless in self defense, even then, he wishes not to. He's going to take away my father's bending, leaving him powerless. I think, once he no longer has that, he'll be a better man. Not so power hungry. But, I can't hope on that." He looked down, his eyes were sad.

"I know. I hope for it too, but hope misleads us at times. Even still, I pray that this family will become one together."

"I do too." He leaned in once again to kiss me.

"Where's Azula?" I said as I pulled away slightly.

"She's probably in her room, or on Ember Island."

"I have to go find her." I got up to leave, but then went back and kissed Zuko on the lips as quick as I could. "Go and tell your father we need a few more days, I'll be back soon." And with that, I ran out his door to find Azula.

I went down some halls and then stopped at her door.

I asked Agni to help me and to calm Azula so she didn't kill me, then I knocked.

"Go away." I heard a small, but vicious voice.

"Azula… I know I'm the last person you want to see. But I want to talk to you. I'm sorry, for everything."

She opened her door and yelled in my face. I had barely seen her since the Agni Kai. Her face and chest were dark red from the burn I'd given her. Her hair was falling out of the usual ponytail she wore and her eyes were dark and heavy. "DAMN RIGHT YOU ARE. YOU'RE NOT SORRY. You stole my father, my brother and MY MOTHER!" Then she slammed the door. I felt like I had been slapped. She was right; I did steal her family from her.

"I wish I could've stayed at my old home. But I was taken from it, and left here. Azula, if you were kind to Zuko, he'd want to be around you. All your father wants is a strong heir. He doesn't care about me or Zuko. And there was nothing I could've done to save your mother. Azula, I'm deeply sorry." I decided not to tell her that her mother may be alive, if I told her now, she might've told the Fire Lord. I leaned against her door, hoping to see her face again.

She opened her door, with tears in her eyes. "My father likes you. You're stronger than I am and you always will be. Zuko hates me. He always has. Even my mother hated me." She slumped to the floor and I followed.

"Azula, he doesn't hate you. I promise it. He's sad for you. He still loves you, Azula. You'll always be his sister. Your mother told me many times how much she loved you and Zuko. A mother never stops loving her daughter no matter what." I hesitated for a minute, unsure what to say and do because of her crying. "Zuko and I are getting married, Azula. I'd like it if you would be my maid of honor."

"You are? You would?" She looked up at me, like a lost puppy would.

"Yes. You're going to be my sister-in-law." I smiled. I felt bad for her. She was just lost. She needed to be loved.

"When's the date?" She wiped her eyes and smiled back.

"I'm not exactly sure yet, but in the next week I think." I wanted to tell her about our plan, I didn't want to lie to her again.

"Okay, I'll be there. Zena, I've done a lot of thinking over the past year, and I'm sorry. I never should've ratted you out. That's why people don't like me. I stab them in the back. I don't ever want to that again. I want to be a nice person and I want people to like me. I deserved the scar you gave me. It marked me and now it reminds me of who I don't want to be. I'm really sorry." She hugged me. It felt good to hug her. I'd always wanted a sister and there she was.

"I forgive you."

I left Azula and immediately left a million times better. I stopped in the garden and laid down on the grass. I thought about Azula, Zuko, Aang, the Fire Lord, everyone. Part of me just wanted to live this life, the one that didn't involve the Avatar, but so many things were wrong with it, then I wanted to live the other life, the one where I had to take action and fight for what's right, but I knew people were going to get hurt. People are going to be hurt either way, millions of people I don't know, or a couple people close to me.

"ZENA! You're back!" Ty Lee popped up in front of my face.

"I am! How are you?"

"I'm great. I have a boyfriend, his name is Kato. I LOVE him." She smiled ever so happy.

"That's wonderful! Zuko and I are getting married in a few days… but there's some stuff that has to happen first…" I trailed off, not wanting to tell her.

"YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED? Finally! I'm so happy! Can I do your hair? Oh my Agni, can I be a bridesmaid?"

"Yes, yes and yes. Azula's going to be maid of honor and you can be the bridesmaid." I smiled.

"Wait. Who? Are we talking about the same Azula?"

"Yes, we are. I talked to her today. She's just lost. She apologized and she's completely different." I went on to tell her about the conversation I had with her. When I finished Ty Lee's mouth hung open.

"Dear Agni! That's amazing. I miss Azula too, well, sometimes. But if she's nice now, I'm happy!"

Of course she would be happy. She's _always_ happy.

"It's not as simple as her 'being nice.' She and I both thought about the wrong we did. On my part, I kept a secret, and then she tried to kill me. But, I've forgiven her. She's a girl without a mother and a father. I understand what that's like. I, just, I feel bad for her. She'll be my sister."

"That's great, Zena. It really is." Ty Lee put her most sincere tone of voice on.

"Yeah, it is. Well, I should probably go talk to Zuko now." I laughed a little as I said it. "I'll see you later, Ty Lee! Go pick out a dress!" I got up from the warm grass and went to find Zuko.

I walked through the palace to his room, and met him in the hallway.

"What'd your father say?" I asked, curious.

"He was gracious to give a few more days." Zuko said as he leaned down to kiss my cheek and take my hand.

"I talked to Azula…" I hesitated. Even though I told him I was going to, he didn't know what about.

He took me to his room and I told him everything we had talked about. I let a couple tears drop as I told how sorry I felt for Azula.

"I'm proud of you, and of her." He smiled and wiped the small tear with his large hand.

"Me too." I smiled back and wrapped my arms around him.

After a couple minutes, I knew it was time to let go, and refresh the plan in our minds.

"Tonight, at about midnight, we'll go to boiling rock, take out a few guards, and get Aang. We'll stay in the city until the eclipse, then go back to the palace, to the throne room and Aang will do his Avatar thing."

"Alright, sounds good. We'll have to work out the minor details as we go." I said with a smile. As a General, that wasn't a good idea. We Generals had to be prepared for everything in war, but this time, I wanted to play it by ear.

Zuko and I stayed in his room that night. I had gotten my armor from my room after I bathed that night, and kept it in his so I would be ready. We went to sleep early that way we wouldn't be too tired when midnight came around.

"Goodnight, my love." Zuko whispered in my ear as I drifted off to sleep. We slept on our sides, with one of his arms around my waist and the other beneath my head. I reached my arm up to hold the hand under my head. We controlled our body temperature until it was perfect and we slept with no blankets.

I woke up with the moon. I could feel its energy the most, at midnight, so it was easy for me to wake up.

I gently moved my body away from Zuko's to clean my teeth and wash my face. I braided my hair into a braid that wrapped around where my bangs lay and let the rest fall straight. I laid out mine and Zuko's armor.

"Zuko, we've gotta go soon." I walked to the bed and crawled along it to where he lay.

"Alright, I'm coming." He pulled me down for a hug, then slid off the bed as he carried me with him. He stopped in front of the long mirror, looking at our bodies. He wore simple red shorts while I wore black shorts and one of his shirts. He held me so effortlessly and I clung to him easily. We fit.

"We're like puzzle pieces." I mumbled into his neck as I looked away from the mirror.

"We are." He smiled and set me down. He went to wash his face and put his hair up. His hair had grown out since the desert, but still wasn't completely long enough to do the pony tail he used to wear. I had told him I liked him better with all his hair and kept it as that, rather than shaving it again.

I pulled on dark red pants, with my black and dark red spiked boots over them, and a black long-sleeved shirt with my dark red armor over, making me look like a General. I hadn't bothered with a helmet or anything. The guards we were taking out wouldn't know what hit them.

Zuko wore his princely armor, similar to mine, but with more gold, rather than black. We looked at ourselves in the mirror again, and we looked ready to go to war. Which exactly what was going to be happening. Zuko grabbed his Dao Swords and we left his room, quietly.

Our boots made little sound as we ran across the smooth floor in the palace hallways, avoiding guards as we snuck out.

We took a boat to boiling rock and tied it off as we arrived there. I had used my waterbending to bend the boat faster, to make sure we made to Aang before the sun rose. As we walked closer to the entrance, we noticed guards. I quickly distracted them by making splashes in the water and then as they got closer entrapping them in ice. We ran up the stairs to find the cell that Aang was in.

"Where are you keeping the Avatar?" Zuko asked a guard as we casually walked by, like we meant to come here and just see how things were going.

"Oh, Prince Zuko, General," he bowed. "what are you doing here so late?"

"I asked you a question. _Where_ are you keeping the Avatar?"

"He's in the bottom level. Highly chained, and drugged, so he won't bend."

"Thank you." Zuko turned and went down a hallway, and then we walked down a long flight of stairs.

I thought about Aang and how miserable he must feel, being drugged so he couldn't bend. I remembered when I was brought to the Fire Nation and how they took my bending away like that as well.

"Aang!" Zuko whispered, trying to find him in the dark tunnels of the prison.

"Zuko?" We heard a lazy voice answer.

"He's over here!" I had heard his voice, but he was behind a very strong door, with one single slot to look through. "Aang, are you okay?" I could see his skinny body chained to the floor and his eyes closed.

"Zuko, can we bust the door open together?" I asked, there was no way to open that door without the key, and we didn't know where to find that in time.

"Yeah, get ready. Aang stay as far from the door as you can!"

We posed in the dancing dragon form and blasted the door open with extreme firepower. I used a ball cackling with energy, lightening-like. Zuko used a stream of red orange fire, kicking with another stream from his foot.

I ran to Aang, freezing his chains with condensation from the cold, and then kicking them swiftly to break them. Zuko and I put Aang over our shoulders as we walked out of the cell. Zuko let go of Aang to clear the way of guards as I held Aang up. He could barely speak and every word he muttered was slurred.

We finally made it back to the boat, leaving a trail of knocked out and frozen guards. With the eclipse coming soon, by time they woke up they wouldn't be able to heat themselves out.

We took the boat back to the shore and quickly headed into the city. We stopped at a small inn and bought a room. Zuko paid extra to make sure the innkeeper wouldn't say anything about us being here.

"Ah, spending time with the lovely lady before the wedding, huh, Prince?" He raised his eyebrows at Zuko and me, and then saw Aang standing slouched over in a fire nation outfit we had pulled off a line of laundry. "And your bodyguard, I presume? Well, don't worry, Prince Zuko and General Zena, I will tell no one of your visit to my fine inn."

Zuko paid the man and we went some stairs to a small room. I heated water in a bowl for Aang to wash his face with.

"We're gonna have to stay here longer than we expected. Aang's system is all drugged up. I can't heal him any faster."

"That's fine. He's our key to all of this, if he's not ready, none of us are fighting." Zuko said, and I nodded my head, completely agreeing with him. Aang laid on the bed and I put my hands over him, trying to make the healing process faster. We spent the early hours of the morning there, and I let Zuko and Aang sleep while I continued to heal him, drifting off occasionally. Zuko awoke with the sun, although this time I had not. My hands were still over Aang and I had fallen asleep with my head in my lap almost.

"Come on, we've gotta start getting ready and find the rest of the gang." Zuko gently shook my shoulders, and then kissed my cheek and I woke up and looked at Aang, who no longer had dark circles under his eyes. I let him sleep while Zuko and I left to find the gang in the meeting place in the city. I left Aang a note that said where we'd gone, in case he woke up before we came back.

Zuko and I walked into a small pub where we saw the gang sitting at the bar, all except Toph, who was gambling at a table.

Zuko nodded to Ryuu from across the room, where I was Ryuu whisper something to Hiroshi, who then whispered to Suki. Suki and Ryuu came towards us, while Hiroshi went to get his cousin from the gambling table, where she gathering her winnings.

We all left silently back to the inn, and once there, crowded in the tiny room. Aang had gotten up and bathed, ready in his normal attire.

"Are you all prepared?" Zuko spoke, and looked around the room.

Toph cracked her knuckles and spat, showing she was ready.

Hiroshi punched his fist into his palm and smiled.

Ryuu let flames flicker around his fists and his eyes turned red as they had when we first spoke on the Avatar's bison.

Suki flicked out her deathly fans and took a fierce stance.

Aang put his fists together and nodded at Zuko.

I looked at him and he read my mind.

"Alright, then. Let's move out."

* * *

**Are you excited? I am. I can't WAIT to write the next chapter. Review & tell me if you liked it! -kiwi**


	9. Author's Note

Hey guys, I've hit a bit of a mental block for this story.

I just need a little more time to think =/

Don't worry, it will be continued, it just may take a little longer. It won't be too long, I promise that. But you writers out there, you know what it's like =]

I will be updating my other story, The Black Fire & The Blue Spirit sometime within the week, or next. That should keep you busy until I update this one again.

I'm sorry you expected an update, but I WILL soon!

-the kiwi bender X)

I might change my pen name again. It's just something I do, sorry if it confuses you.

Remember to review, favorite, rate, whatever else!

Thank you fellow fans!


	10. Chapter 9

IT'S SO CRAPPY I'M SORRY! D:

Chapter Eight

We left the small inn, prepared. Most of the town got scared on the Day of Black Sun and hid in their houses. Guards were everywhere, sure to take down an enemy if they noticed one. But Zuko and I didn't look like the enemy.

"General, what are you doing out?"A soldier asked me as a casually walked past him to go towards the palace, clad in armor.

"Securing the area. What are _you_ doing?" I stopped my slight march, to stand fairly close to the man.

"I, um, well, I am, guarding the area. I just thought you wouldn't be out because of your wedding with the Prince being so soon." He muttered, obviously a new guy.

"You're new aren't you?" I said as I poked his armor, and he flinched slightly. He was shorter than I. Of course, in my armor with my boots I was taller than my usual height, but I still stood higher than him, giving myself an advantage.

"Yes, General." He straightened his back to look more professional.

"You're _loyal_ to me, because I have the Fire Nation's best interest in mind, right?"

"Of course, General." He said still standing straight.

"What's your name, Soldier?"

"Chang, General."

"Then forgive me, Chang. Thank you for your loyalty. I have a feeling you will do great things."

"General? Pardon?" He barely had time to speak as I smacked him with an elbow to the face. After that, I gestured a wave behind me, and the gang came running.

"You sure are scary when you're being your intimidating General self." Zuko teased as he walked next to me, the others ahead of us slightly.

"Zuko, where's uncle?" I loved Zuko's teasing remark, but I had no time to play.

"I talked to him yesterday. He's not at the palace. He called the White Lotus members to take the fire nation from Ba Sing Se. He went to the Sun Warriors as well, but I do believe they refused."

"Ah, you're so smart, love." I smiled, wondering why I hadn't thought of it first. "This will all be over soon."

We reached the palace and took out several guards, with help of earthbending from Toph and Hiroshi together.

"Aang, Zuko, and I will go to the Fire Lord. I want you four to stand watch outside the throne room. If Azula comes, she's dangerous. You _must_ be careful. She's witty and strong. If anyone else comes, don't kill them, I'm sure you can tie them up or knock them out or something. Ty Lee may pop up, she's generally harmless, but she can block your chi. She'll be the one in pink." I gave quick instruction, and then we were off.

Zuko, Aang and I ran down the hallways to the throne room. The eclipse would happen in less than a minute, lasting only a few.

I stopped when I reached the doors.

"This is it." I whispered.

"Aang, are you ready?" Zuko asked.

"Definitely." He replied strong.

Zuko took my hand, and then kissed me softly, but passionately, and then we opened the doors.

The throne room where Fire Lord Ozai sat was lit, with brilliant gold flames. There on the throne sat the target.

"What's this?" He asked as we walked in, closing the doors behind us.

"Too long you've had power uncontrolled. Too long you're been wiping out colonies and families. Too long you've ruled this nation. It's time to end it." I spoke as I felt my bending seep away from me. Now was time to rely on Aang. Zuko drew his swords and I got into a low crouch, ready to strike without the use of my bending.

"So you mean to throw me off _my_ throne? I had a feeling you would still be water tribe scum. And the Avatar, you brought him to kill me?" He stepped off his throne to walk towards us. His firebending was gone, Aang needed to move quickly and Ozai needed to stop talking.

"I don't kill unless I have to. You won't die unless you choose to." Aang then ran towards him pulling up the ground and launching at Ozai, but he ducked in perfect time. Ozai was powerful, even without bending. He was a hard fight.

Aang used airbending to suspend Ozai while he asked his question. "You can choose to surrender, Fire Lord. It doesn't have to end badly. I'm giving you a choice."

"Why would I surrender to a boy?" He spat at Aang. "Zuko, you have disappointed me as a son, Prince and warrior. Ursa was wrong about you, Zena. You are both traitors to your country." Aang whirled him the air, throwing him into a wall, and covering him in rock. Then ran towards the wall and smashed it with a fist, leaving Ozai stumbling, but still standing tall.

I felt my body temperature rise, my bending was coming back. I ran towards Ozai with all my might.

I pulled water from a large basin the room. It began to cackle with energy from my lightening and I threw it at Ozai as hard I possibly could. I pulled water and made a wave surround my while I charged a energy ball.

Zuko was beginning to get his bending back as well.

Rocks, air, fire and water flew everywhere; there was dust, smoke & steam blocking my sight. Ozai streamed jets of fire from his fingertips so effortlessly. Ozai threw a ball of fire at Zuko, smashing him against a wall. I ran to him, but he was unconscious.

"Ozai, you will not win this battle!" I screamed as I ran towards him. Aang had unleashed everything he had, as did I. We were thrown to ground, burned, smashed, but we kept getting up.

I pulled up more water & electrified it, then created a circle and wrapped it around Ozai, so that it was barely touching him. Aang had pulled up rocks around the Fire Lord, he was trapped.

"Fire Lord Ozai, you can stop this now. It doesn't have to be this way." Aang spoke in a reasonable voice. I admired him for trying to keep peace.

"Oh, yes it does!" Ozai screamed. He opened his mouth and breathed fire towards us, barely missing.

"Then you leave me no choice." Aang began to take control of my water and starting running around Ozai, choking the air from around him. "Zena, get out of here, take Zuko and help him!" Aang yelled over the noise.

I ran to Zuko and lifted him over my shoulder, running out of the room, and down the hall to find the others.

* * *

"General, I've received word that all Fire Nation soldiers have made it back. Everyone has their rightful rulers on the throne again."

"Thank you Lieutenant." _Except for us._

I stood in my mother's garden. Just two days before I was fighting the most powerful firebender. We had won. Ozai was locked up, everyone was freed. Azula had been confused when Toph metalbended a cage around her, but everyone knew everything now. Ty Lee was as happy as ever, and probably in love. Ryuu was okay with that.

Iroh had agreed to be Fire Lord for a while, until after Zuko and I were married. Which would be very soon, I hoped.

* * *

I ran slowly, with Zuko on my shoulders. I made it to the courtyard where Azula was caged in metal and Ty Lee in rock.

"Zena, what's going on?" Ty Lee and Azula screamed at me.

"Everything will be explained shortly. I promise." I set Zuko down by the pond and splashed water on his face.

"What happened?" He asked, groggy.

"You got knocked out, you're okay." I said with a smile.

After explaining to Azula and Ty Lee what was going on, they didn't fight, they just nodded.

Aang came back, tired and bloodied up.

He told us that he had taken Ozai's bending away, into his body.

He also said that after some rest, he would send a message to all the nations that we could have peace with each other again. Fire Nation troops would be sent back, destruction would be undone.

It was over.

* * *

**It's so short & terribly messy. I'm sooo sorry :/ I had such terrible writer's block & this is all that I could poop out. I'M SORRY PLEASE FORGIVE MEEEEEE! **

**I wanted the fighting to be longer, but I had SUCH a struggle. Next chapter will be better, in a fluffy-type way (weddings, blah, blah blahhh) -kiwi**


	11. Chapter 10

**OHHH I'M SORRY, BUT HEY LOOK THERE'S A NEW CHAPTER NOW :3**

Chapter Nine

It seemed as though the Fire Nation was bright again. It was bright again. It took five days for the complete clean up of Fire Lord Ozai's mess, yet only two for kingdoms to have their rightful rulers and homes back. Iroh took the throne until Zuko was ready. We sent messengers to all kingdoms, telling them of the new victory. Some were evasive, worried and unbelieving of the news, but eventually things were settled and peaceful.

* * *

I stood in my room, staring at myself in the mirror, dressed in baggy grey pants to my mid calf and a shirt that stopped above my navel, with bare feet and hair let loose, thinking about the way time had passed throughout the week.

"Zena?" I heard Zuko enter my room, then felt his arms around me. "What are you doing in here?"

"I'm just thinking." I said as I leaned into his strong chest.

"Can I ask what it is that has your mind occupied?" He spun me around to face him, and brushed his fingers over my light scar.

"Just… How far we've come. So much has happened, and now things are peaceful again. Where is our adventure?"

"Oh, trust me, we'll have adventures. Today will be an adventure, tonight being our wedding _night_ will have _lots_ of adventures and the many nights after that." He smirked and chuckled, and I lightly punched him in the chest. "And then, who knows, we might have kids, and they'll keep us busy for the rest of our lives."

"You're right." I said smiling and pulled myself into his chest. "Zuko, you're awesome." My words sounded more like 'Moooko, moorrrre ahhhhsmmm.' He laughed and then kissed my head and went to get ready for our wedding.

I stepped over to the long red dress laying on my bed that I would wear in a couple hours, it was beautiful. I hadn't wanted the layers and layer of traditional robes, as it was a sunny day and going to be quite warm, so I picked a long strapless gown. It was a darker shade of red, with golden beads spread throughout it and an even darker train that we would put yellow, orange and red fire flowers in. Just as I was thinking about how I was going to manage to put the dress on myself, Ty Lee, Toph and Azula came into my room.

"You're not actually thinking of putting that on yourself, are you?" Ty Lee gasped as she fluttered over to the dress, admiring it with big eyes.

"I wish I could see it…" Toph grumbled.

"Hey, it's okay, Toph. It's not really that great. The important thing is that I'm actually getting married." I put my hand on her shoulder and then went over to Ty Lee. "So, would you help me?" I smiled.

Ty Lee had to climb up on my bed and hold the dress over my head while Toph and Azula pulled the close fitting dress down and making sure it was in the right place. Ty Lee then jumped up off the bed and started lacing up the back.

"Oh, Agni. Zuko is gonna have a hard time getting you out of this tonight, I tell you what." Ty Lee giggled as she spoke, along with the other girls as well.

"That's the second time someone's joked about tonight." I sighed.

Soon, the dress was on, laced up and fitting in the right spots. Toph and Azula threw the flowers on my train, which acted like a net for the flowers. It was tight from my chest to my waist, and then gently flared out to the floor.

Azula had pulled my hair into an elaborate up-do, with flowers stuck in to set it off. Ty Lee put my makeup on, just light natural looking eye-makeup and mascara to bring out my blue eyes.

I looked in the mirror at my finished self and gasped.

"Thank you girls. I look beautiful." I smiled and turned around to hug them all.

"No need to get all mushy and lovey, Zee. Save that for Zuko." Toph said as she pushed us all away.

"Well, I guess I'm ready." I grinned and started to walk into the hallway.

* * *

"You nervous, buddy?" Aang asked as I buttoned my shirt up.

"Not really, I'm just excited that this is finally happening."

"You nervous about tonight?" He asked again, eyebrows wiggling, as Hiroshi had a horrified look on his face.

I didn't respond. I just continued getting dressed, and fixing my hair.

After I was ready, I headed out into the hallway and met Ryuu, who was going to be my best man. We had gotten along since the drama ended, and I could call him my friend.

We went to my mother's garden, where family, friends and close royals were gathered. I walked up to stand under a blossoming tree, to stand by Iroh and Ryuu, and waited.

* * *

I walked behind Ty Lee, Azula and Toph. They were all dressed in red, pink and gold. We walked to the garden, while I stood back and waited for them to sit, or in Azula's case, stand by Iroh. There was a pretty song playing, a sign for me to start walking towards Zuko. For a moment it felt as if my feet wouldn't move, and when they did they it was too fast, then it was too slow. I think Zuko had noticed because as I looked to my feet then back up he smiled big at me.

I reached Zuko and he took my hands. We smiled at each other then looked at Iroh who began talking.

"Friends, we are gathered here today, to celebrate the joining of my two favorite people. These two are the bravest, strongest and most wonderful people I've met. There is nothing better than to marry your best friend. Someone who you've been with the longest, shared the most with, cried with, laughed with, argued with, and the one who you will always forgive. Love is strong, and these two were strong enough to prevail. There is not much I will say today to you, but that you will be blessed by Agni, for years upon years." He smiled, happy at his short speech. "Do we have the rings?" Ryuu gave Zuko my ring and Azula gave me Zuko's ring. Zuko held my left hand, placing my silver band with the red stone and small diamonds ring on my slender finger. I held Zuko's left hand, placing the silver band with red and gold accents on his rough finger. "As Fire Lord, which of course, I won't be for long because Zuko will be, as you know, but I am filling in while these two are in the honeymoon stage," Iroh spoke in a lower tone and suggestively, and then returned to his normal voice. "I pronounce you husband and wife. Zuko, you may kiss your bride."

I grinned and leaned forward. My lips were met with his, warm and hungry. It felt as if it were our first kiss. We intertwined our fingers and walked down the grassy aisle, which was covered in vibrant fire nation flowers. We were met at the end of the aisle by a familiar face.

"Mother?" Zuko gasped and held my hand tighter.

Immediately my eyes filled with joyful tears. We both embraced our long lost mother.

"Iroh found me after I had heard news of what happened here. I am proud of you both." She cried gently as she held us both close. "I love you both so much."

After our reunion, we were paraded throughout the fire nation, met by the happy citizens of our land, who exclaimed blessings and praises to us both. We had an eventful day, celebrating with food, dancing and entertainment until the moon came up.

"How do you feel?" Zuko asked as we swayed to soft music beneath the moonlight.

"I can't describe it, although, I'm sure you're feeling it too. It just feels…right." I smiled up at him, then returned my head to his shoulder.

"Exactly."

"Shouldn't you two be off getting' busy somewhere?" Toph elbowed us as she spun around with Aang, yelling at him every so often for stepping on her toes.

"Ah, yes. Shouldn't we be doing something much more exciting?" Zuko looked at me with hungry eyes.

"We could, but won't everyone miss us?" I smirked.

"Hmm…let's find out." Zuko spun away from me, facing the crowd and dancing couples. "Attention everyone, would be alright if my bride and I went away now to the after party in our bedroom? Yes, you say? Okay then sweetie, let's go!" He yelled to the crowd, then broke into a run with me behind him.

We reached the new bedroom that had been made especially for us and stopped just outside the door. Zuko picked me up and led me through the door before placing me gently on the ground.

The room was lit with many candles, draped with gold and red blankets and curtains and covered in flower petals.

"Who did all this?" I asked curious.

"I did." Zuko replied, grinning widely at me.

"You amaze me." I threw my arms around his neck and we began kissing passionately.

Soon Zuko was close to naked, and I would be myself had it not been for the dress. The removal of my gown definitely postponed our magical night, as we couldn't stop laughing while we tried to pull it over my head.

It felt as if we couldn't get close enough, even with the warm kisses and movement like puzzle pieces. It lasted on and on, until we eventually gently collapsed together and fell asleep.

I woke up with a warm body smashed against mine and instantly smiled. I slowly opened my eyes and looked around the room. I leaned to my right and Zuko was silently breathing and dreaming. I looked around the bed where the flowers from my hair spilled across the blankets. My dress lay on the floor in the mess of clothes we had quickly gotten rid of, I thought to myself that clothes wouldn't really be necessary for the next few days. Zuko must've woken up while I was thinking, because I soon felt his warm arm slide across my belly, pulling me closer to him.

"Good morning, wifey." He breathed against my neck.

"Good morning." I replied in a whisper, then turned to face him. "How do you feel?"

"I feel, amazing." He smiled. "Also, I can tell you, I have never used my muscles quite like that, and they are quite sore. If we keep doing this, we're gonna be ripped." He chuckled.

I wrestled my way on top of him, kissing down his chest. "Are you too sore now?" I asked, curious and seductively.

He took my hands and held them at his sides, pulling me down. "Absolutely not."

And so we began the day.

* * *

**EHEHEHEHE xD well, I can tell you this, I have never written a wedding night before, so that was kinda weird for me. Did I do a good job? I hope so.**


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